


Keeping Secrets

by layla_west666



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Apocalypse, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friends to Lovers, How Do I Tag, I'm Bad At Tagging, Mutual Pining, Oblivious, Zombie Apocalypse, oc is weird but in a good way
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2019-06-29 18:11:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 162,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15734739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/layla_west666/pseuds/layla_west666
Summary: Rosalina Jones; an English girl trapped on American soil in the midst of the apocalypse. She never expected to survive, until she was dragged in an alley in Atlanta city by a pizza delivery boy by the name of Glenn. From there, she finds herself inducted into a group, one that she can't help but grow loyal to. But loyalty can only take you so far in a world that is falling apart. Survival is key, that's what Rosalina regularly tries to remind herself. But when a certain redneck makes it his mission to mess with Rosalina's heart, she finds herself questioning whether she's just surviving, or whether she's starting to live again.





	1. The damn apocalypse

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is my first work on AO3 and I'm still getting used to everything, so my apologies for that. This story is also on Quotev and I'll probably be posting it on a few other sites to, so if you like this story feel free to show it some love on there as well! Anyway, thanks for reading, hope you enjoy!

Sighing irritably, Rosalina finally removed her headphones from her ears, stopping the blasting music that echoed over the roof. Opening her eyes, she blinked in the blare of the sun. 

“I’m genuinely gonna die of boredom if I stay up here much longer.” She groaned, running a hand through her curly tangle of green hair. Across the rooftop there were long strands of her hair, scissors flung to the side. Boredom had really set in for the young woman, and besides, short hair was harder to grab. 

“La di da di da.” She sang nonsense words, grimacing up at the sun as it beat down upon her. She could never survive the American heat, but now that she was trapped on a rooftop in the middle of one of the warmest cities in the state, it was even more unbearable for the English bred girl. “For fucks sake, I’m going to die from walker attack just because I couldn’t be arsed to get up off my ass and run!”

Standing up and stretching her arms up above her head, she glanced around at the rooftops of Atlanta, seeing the walkers swarming in the street around a tank. She rose one dark eyebrow, daring to lean over the side of the building she stood atop. Looking down, she saw that the vast majority of walkers had abandoned their determined fight against the glass doors that separated her from certain death, leaving a maximum number of four or five. “Well, isn’t this a nice turn of events.”

Checking for the two short swords on her back, she drew a sharp, deadly-looking long sword from the leather holster at her waist. Escaping the burning sunlight, she slipped down the stairs into the building, rushing down each tall flight with a speed she didn’t know she possessed. 

“Fuck me,” She murmured, stopping for a moment as she reached her favourite floor of the building. It was filled with survival gear, and was where she had managed to pick up most of the equipment now strapped to her body or protected in the rucksack on her left shoulder. “I’m gonna miss this level. Not that much though.”

Over the two weeks she had been trapped in the store, talking to herself had become second nature. She knew there were other people wandering around the city, but no matter how loud she shouted, they’d never found her or even looked up. So she took a liking to her own company, trying to pretend she didn't sound crazy every time she muttered a comment aloud to someone who wasn’t there. 

Sliding down the bannister of the last flight of stairs, Rosalina reached the final floor. Seeing the walkers ramming their bodies against the doors pointlessly, she winked, flashing them her long, pale middle finger. “Suck on this dipshits.”

Ducking around a display of dreamcatchers, her hand reaching out to snatch a pretty blue one and shoving it into her rucksack, she made her way to the back of the building. Yanking open the back entrance door, she slid down the alley, a plan formulating in her mind. Somewhere in the ghost town she’d be trapped in, there had to be a car that’s engine hadn't gone bust, or at least something that could put a few miles between her and the dead brains that wandered around her. If she could get to the edge of the city, no doubt she’d find the crucial part of her escape plan.

For now she just had to fight off half a dozen walkers to get there.

“Okay,” She muttered quietly, starting to edge forwards. “Worst case scenario, find another building and barricade yourself in until the next distraction arises.”

The prospect of being holed up again wasn’t a pleasant one for her, but she didn’t have little choice as she came closer to the main street. Her fingers itched for the gun that was strapped against her thigh, but she had more sense that to make that sort of noise. If given a choice, she would’ve withdrew the daggers that sat pressed against her back, but they were more for taking on one walker at a time, not a large group which could run at her at any time. “Lets dance bitches.”

Stepping out with more confidence than she felt, she began to run, blade drawn and ready for any attackers. Immediately, the ones that had been gathered around the store window front began to amble towards her, but they weren’t fast enough to keep up with her. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

Out of nowhere, a hand reached out, yanking her off the street and into a darkened alley. She went to scream, but at the sight of a very human Asian boy wearing a remarkably clean shirt and red baseball cap. “Who the fuck are you?”

“Not right now.” He hushed her, talking anxiously into a radio. Rosalina stared, taken aback by her sudden, she supposed, saviour and his rude manners. “Hey, you alive in there?”

Watching with curious green eyes, Rosalina listened as a voice came through over the radio, sounding breathless. “Hello?

“Oh, you are.” The boy muttered, surprised it seemed. “You had me wondering.”

“Where are you? Outside? Can you see me right now?” The fearful voice questioned desperately. 

“Yeah, I can see you,” He popped his head around the side of the building, Rosalina following his movements to try and make sense of what was happening. Her eyes focused on the tank that had allowed her to escape, and she gasped in realisation. “You’re surrounded by walkers. That’s the bad news.”

In scary synchronisation, the man trapped in the tank and Rosalina asked, “There’s good news?”

Shooting her a wide-eyed look, the boy turned back to answer the man on the radio. “No.”

“Listen, whoever you are, I don’t mind telling you, I’m a little concerned in here.” Rosalina snorted, smirking at the comment.

Taking the radio out of the boy’s hands with a teasing wink, she said jokingly, “And you haven’t even see it from our point of view. Hope you don’t have any stress related heart conditions because you’re screwed otherwise, mate.”

“There’s two of you?” He asked, but before she could answer the boy had snatched it from her hands again, shooting her what she thought was meant to be an angry glare, but instead came off as a desperate plea for her to leave him alone. 

“Yeah, but only one of us is going to be helpful to you right now.” He informed the trapped man, oblivious to Rosalina’s offended glower. “If I were you, I’d make a run for it. Now.” 

“That’s it? Make a run for it?” He demanded, rightfully so in Rosalina’s opinion. Glancing back around the wall, she saw the walkers gathering around a certain area away from the tank, seemingly feasting on something or other. 

“My way’s not as dumb as it sounds. You got eyes on the outside. There’s one geek still up on the tank, but the others have climbed down and joined the feeding frenzy where the horse went down.” He paused for a moment, hearing Rosalina gasp woefully when he mentioned the horse, finally understanding what the walkers were feasting on. He shook his head, continuing quickly, “The street on the other side of the street is less crowded. If you move now while they’re distracted, you stand a chance.” 

“What ammo has he got?” Rosalina mouthed, the boy repeating her question.

“In that duffel bag I dropped out there, it’s got guns. Can I get to it?” Quickly seeing the bag in question, Rosalina shook her head, telling the boy there was no chance. 

“Forget the bag, it’s not an option. What do you have on you?” There was a brief pause, assumedly as the man checked.

Using the moment, Rosalina nodded to the boy, “I’m Rosalina by the way. Rose for short.”

“Glenn.” He replied, finally allowing the English woman to put a name to his face. 

Finally, the man’s voice came through over the radio again. “I got a Beretta with one clip, fifteen rounds.” 

“Make ‘em count. Jump off the right side of the tank, keep going in that direction. There’s an alley up the street, maybe fifty yards. Be there.” Glenn instructed, watching Rosalina holster her long sword and withdraw one of the two daggers on her back. 

After a moment of silence, the man spoke again. “Hey, what’re your names?”

Grabbing the radio again, Rosalina ordered quickly, “There’ll be time for pleasantries later. Get you ass up out of the tank and come meet us. If you need help, I’ll come. Just don’t shoot anyone with green hair. Good luck.”

Thrusting the radio back to Glenn, she leaned as far around the corner of the alley as she stared, fixated upon the tank. She saw the hatch open, revealing a male figure dressed in a sheriff’s uniform. He took a swing at a walker nearest to him, knocking them down and pulling a smile onto Rosalina’s face.

Together she and Glenn watched nervously as he pulled himself up and out of the vehicle, throwing himself onto the ground and quickly walking down the street, a limp on his right side from the fall onto the floor. He fired at the oncoming walkers, the noise making the pair flinch each time. 

He rounded on the alley, his gun pulled up and ready to fire. He ended up pointing at Glenn, who jumped in surprise, crying out, “Not dead! Come on, come on!”

The two strangers followed the boy down the alley, the man shooting at the walkers while Rosalina skilfully slamming her sword into the heads of any that drew too close. Her arms were aching from the force it took to force the sword through the thick layers of skin and bone, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it, as more and more ran up to them. Quickly, she learned it was easy to simply slice the heads clean off, although the pain still ached. 

She hoped she was at least burning calories doing all of this. 

Reaching a yellow ladder, Rosalina allowed the two men to go before her, holding back briefly to fight off the fastest of the walkers. Aiming quick, sharp slices she easily decapitated two in one go, spitting on the corpses that dropped to the floor. “Come on!”

Holstering the sword, she speedily climbed the ladder, knuckles white from the grip she was enforcing on each rung. Beneath her, the walkers swarmed, hands reaching up to snatch at her boots but she moved quick enough to avoid them. 

Allowing herself to be pulled up by the Sheriff onto a small grated platform, she breathed out a tired sigh, leaning against the railings with Glenn on one side and the unknown man on the other. “Holy fuck that was close.” 

“Nice moves there, Clint Eastwood and Katana.” Rosalina snorted at the comic book reference. “You come riding in to clean up the town?”

“Rick, thanks.” The now named man said, holding out his hand to Glenn first. 

“Glenn,” He answered, taking it. “You’re welcome.”

“Rosalina, but call me Rose.” She shook his hand, her own dwarfed in his. “And I know nobody wants to hear this, but they’re starting to get feisty.”

Looking down, the two men saw her to be right, as the zombies groaned and moaned at the bottom of the ladder, Glenn muttering a quiet ‘oh no’. 

He turned back to the ladder, looking up to where it ended at the top of the tall building. “Bright side? It’ll be the fall that kills us.” 

“I might take the damn walkers.” Rosalina muttered, her stomach flipping at the high vertical drop that faced her, Glenn already starting to climb.

Rick stood behind her, giving her a comforting look. “I’ll go behind you, so there’ll be someone to catch you if you fall.”

Giving him a smile, she rose her eyebrows, placing her hands on the ladder. “Thanks, mister, but if I go then lets be honest, I’ll just be using you as a soft landing. Thanks again though.”

Nervously, she started to climb. It wasn't long before they were all stood at the top, and Glenn began to lead them over the tops of buildings, Rosalina’s hand always wrapped around the hilt of her sword. “Back at the tank, why’d you stick your neck out for me?”

Rick’s question was one Rosalina had secretly been asking herself the whole way here. “Yeah, me too. How did you even see me, I’d have thought I’d have run right past you.”

“I saw you a few weeks ago, running across the roof of that store. Thought you were a jumper at first, but then you started doing laps.” Glenn laughed, making her smile. “I decided to see if you needed any help, but then I saw Ranger Rick here and thought I may as well help out both of you. Call it a foolish, naive hope that if I’m ever that far up shit creek, somebody might do the same for me. I guess I’m an even bigger dumb-ass than you two.”

“Such a charmer.” Rosalina joked, coming to a stop before a large man-hole cover on the top of the building, which Glenn took no time pulling open and beginning to climb down the ladder. Together, she and Rick followed him, closing the hatch as they went. 

Dropping down onto the floor again after only a minute or so of climbing, Rosalina followed Glenn through and out of the building, listening intently as he spoke hurriedly into a radio. “Bag of guns on the street. There’s four geeks in the alley.”

Storming down a staircase, the group came to a sudden halt at the bottom of the stairs when faced with two walkers. Before Rick could pull her back. Rosalina had run forward, withdrawing her two swords and cutting through the skulls of the rotting corpses of what had once been human with such force that Glenn and Rick could both hear the crunch from where they were stood a few feet away.

Sharing a look, they rose their eyebrows, in silent agreement about the unusualness of the girl before running forward. Out of a side door across the street, two figures dressed all in black and wielding baseball bats appeared, guiding Rosalina to where she needed to be.

Dodging around the imposing figures, she barged into the building, Rick and Glenn hot on her heels, the covered two following after them. The door was slammed closed, the wind blowing Rosalina’s hair in front of her face. 

Within seconds of entering the building, Rick was slammed against a stack of supplies by an angry blonde woman, who pointed a gun at his forehead. “I ought to kill you!”

“Fucking hell.” Rosalina muttered, eyes wide at the sudden display of anger. She expected the gun wielding woman to turn on her, but she seemed fixed on Rick.

To Rosalina’s right, one of the black clothed figures began to pull away his protective gear, revealing a hispanic man with curly black hair and a matching beard. “Just chill out, Andrea. Back off.”

Jumping when a voice sounded behind her, Rosalina rounded to find a black woman with short, dark hair speaking softly to the blonde woman, who she now assumed to be called Andrea. “Calm down. Just ease up.” 

“Ease up? You’ve gotta be kidding me!” Andrea exploded, tears forming in her eyes. Whether they were caused by fear or anger, Rosalina couldn’t tell. “We’re dead because of this stupid asshole.”

“Andrea!” It was the hispanic man again, and he came to stand beside her. “I said back the hell off.”

Tensed, Rosalina prepared to fly forwards and knock the gun from the shaking woman’s hands, when the same man offered instead. “Or pull the trigger.”

Finally, she relented, pulling away with a shake of her head as her gun dropped to her side. “We’re dead. All of us. Because of you.”

Breathing heavily, Rick looked around at the group, all of whom where giving him unfriendly glares with the exception of only Glenn and Rosalina. “I don’t understand.”

Taking him roughly by the arm, the bearded man led Rick through the store, Rosalina and the rest of the group hurrying to keep up with them. As of yet, none of them seemed to be taking much notice of the girl, which suited her perfectly after the welcome Rick had received. “Look, we came into the city to scavenge supplies. You know what the key to scavenging is? Surviving. You know what the key to surviving is? Sneaking in and out. Tiptoeing, not shooting up the streets.”

Reaching the front of the store, Rosalina took note of another man who was apart of the group. He was tall and wide, with dark skin and a blue hat sitting back-to-front on his head. “Every geek from miles around heard you popping off rounds.”

Watching the store front doors, the younger woman inhaled sharply. Walkers were crowded around the glass doors, slamming themselves against it forcefully. She’d escaped one hell and been released into it’s duplicate, only on a far larger scale. 

“You just rang the dinner bell. Get the picture now?” Andrea asked, still with rage boiling in her voice. 

Rosalina flinched, seeing one of the walkers had picked up a large stone, and was slamming it down on the weakening glass. “Oh, fuck me.” 

“What the hell were you two doing out there anyway?” Rolling her eyes at Andrea’s question, Rosalina turned to give her a look.

“Having a damn picnic, what do you think? I was trying to escape.” She hissed, set on edge by the sight before her. 

Ignoring her comment, Rick replied seriously, “Trying to flag the helicopter.”

“Helicopter?” The big guy asked. “That’s crap. There ain’t no damn helicopter.”

“I was on a roof and I didn’t see shit.” Rosalina admitted, shrugging. At another sudden smash of glass, the group darted back, edging towards the back of the store.

“I saw it.” Rick insisted. But nobody was paying attention now.

“Hey, T-Dog, try that CB.” Glad to be able to put another name to a face, the bigger guy fiddling with the radio. “Can you contact the others?”

“Others?” Rick asked, straightening. “The refugee centre.”

“Yeah, the refugee centre. They got biscuits waiting in the oven for us.” The sarcastic comment from the unnamed woman made Rosalina snort, feeling almost guilty when Rick shot her a confused look. 

“Got no signal.” T-Dog informed them. “Maybe the roof.”

At the words, a gunshot sounded from above, startling the group. The pre-existing members shared exasperated looks, Andrea groaning out, “Oh god, was that Dixon?”

Following behind Glenn and the rest up the stairs, Rosalina was led up onto the roof of the building. Stood on the edge, a rifle in his hands was a towering, bulky looking man with very little hair and a red face. 

The bearded man was the first to reach the shooting maniac, yelling angrily, “Hey Dixon, are you crazy?”

The man laughed loudly, turning to gesture at them with the gun, speaking in a southern drawl, “Hey, you ought to be more polite to a man with a gun. Huh? Only common sense.”

He jumped down off the roof side, landing on the floor, looking at them with a grin. He automatically set Rosalina on edge, her muscles tensing, ready for a fight.

T-Dog ran towards him, proclaiming furiously, “Man, you’re wasting bullets we ain’t even got, man. And you bring ‘em all down here on our ass, man.”

“Hey, bad enough I got this taco bender on my ass all day, now I’m going to take orders from you? I don’t think so, bro. That’ll be the day.” The redneck’s attitude and words disgusted Rosalina, who shared a look of contempt with Glenn. 

“That’ll be the day? You got something you wanna tell me?” T-Dog demanded, daring to step even closer to the man Rosalina was now calling Dixon in her head. 

To the side of them both, the bearded man shook his head. “Hey, T-Dog, man, just leave it. It ain’t worth it.”

Stepping in, Glenn called from the side, “Merle, just relax. We’ve had enough trouble for one day.” 

But Merle ignored him. “I’ll tell you the day, Mr Yo, it’s the day I take orders from a nigger.”

Within seconds of the foul word being uttered Rosalina had her daggers drawn, pointing at the ignorant idiot in front of her. But Rick put his arm out, stopping her from charging forward, muttering to her quietly, “Don’t get involved, not right now. You might be good with your swords, but that gun is gonna fire faster.”

But while Rick was holding her back, hell had broken loose. T-Dog punched Merle sharply in the face, only to have the butt of the gun slammed against his nose, knocking him back. Immediately, Rick charged forward, Merle’s fist slamming straight into his face.

Merle pulled out his gun, aiming it at T-Dog, but he didn’t get chance to speak again. 

Finally having no one holding her back, Rosalina charged forward, jumping up and pushing herself off the pipe closest to her. Wrapping her arms and legs around Merle’s torso, she pulled her matching daggers against his neck, adding a small amount of pressure threateningly.

Around them, the group stopped, taken aback by the sudden introversion from the smaller woman. “I swear to the fucking gods, make one damn move and I will slit your throat right here, right now.”

Still laughing, despite his current predicament, Merle raised his hands up mockingly. “Now you got British cunts defending ya ass?”

“Shut up.” Rosalina hissed, digging her elbows down into his shoulders, sending him to the floor in pain. “Keep your mouth closed-”

Her words were cut off as she was suddenly flipped forward, losing her grip on the well-built redneck when her back hit the floor, head bouncing off the ground harshly. The first punch was a shock to her system, especially when accompanied with the agonising pain thumping through her head, but she didn’t have time to consider that as Merle landed a second punch, this one hitting her chest rather than her face.

With both her daggers flung away from her, she was forced to get creative. Throwing her body up, she drove her head up into his chin, forcing him to stumble backwards. This gave her the chance to unsteadily stumble up off the floor while Rick dived forward, grabbing ahold of the groaning Merle and roughly cuffing him to a pipe.

The dark-skinned woman and Glenn were the first to Rosalina’s side, Glenn wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her upright. The woman spoke first, keeping Rosalina’s blurry focus on her rather than the rest of the bustle around them. “Are you okay sweetheart? What’s your name?”

“Rose.” She shortened, wincing as her head throbbed. “What’s yours?”

Amused, she answered, “Jacqui. Do you mind if I check your head real quick?”

“Have at it, doc.” Rosalina joked tiredly, pressing more weight against Glenn. Despite not being particularly strong, he did his best to keep her on her feet. 

Gently, Jacqui went around her, pressing two fingers tentatively to the lump that had already formed. “Count backwards from ten for me.”

“In English, German or Russian?” She asked in a boasting manner, closing and widening her eyes to try to get them to focus. “Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Zehn, neun, acht, sieben, sechs, funf, vier, drei, zwei, ein.”

“You forgot Russian.” Jacqui teased gently, happily convinced the girl didn’t have a concussion. 

“Yeah, I lied, I don’t know the numbers in Russian. Just a hell of a lot of swear words.” With an eye-catching grin, Rosalina pulled back from Glenn, nodding to him gratefully. “Thanks, sweetie, but I should be alright now.”

She didn’t miss his flustered expression at the nickname, but instead turned to face T-Dog, who was still on the floor with Andrea at his side, closer to where Merle was cuffed stood Rick and the bearded man, sharing quick words. “Are you okay? He landed a good one on you.”

“Trust me, you’re in a worse state than me.” The man laughed, despite his bloody nose. “You’ve got a hell of a bruise forming on the eye.”

“Isn’t my first, can’t imagine it’ll be my last.” She replied cheerfully, pretending that the throbbing pain wasn’t silently killing her. “You need a hand getting up?”

The next few minutes was spent setting the two invalids, T-Dog and Rosalina, up against the wall, both working on getting the radio working. 

The bearded man, whose name Rosalina had finally learned was Morales, called over to them, “How’s that signal?”

“It’s like Dixon’s brain, weak.” T-Dog quipped, smirking proudly at the exclamation his remark received from the girl next to him. Merle gave them the finger from where he sat opposite, and Rosalina mimed violently snapping it off with, drawing a laugh from T-Dog. 

“Keep trying.” Morales ordered, but Andrea stepped in with the pessimistic attitude Rosalina had already learned to expect from her.

“Why? They can’t do anything for us. Not a damn thing.” She said blankly. 

Confused, Rick looked to Morales, who quickly explained. “Not the Refugee Centre. We got a couple of people, just outside the city. There’s no Refugee Centre. That’s a pipe dream.” 

T-Dog nodded. “He’s right, we’re on our own. Gotta find our own way out.”

“Good luck with that.” Jacqui added, while Andrea moved towards Merle, fiddling with a bag.

Seeing the blonde crunched down close to him, Merle leaned forward. “These streets ain’t safe, or so that’s what I hear. Ain’t that right, sugar tits?”

Rosalina flinched, making T-Dog nudge her with a shake of his head. 

“Hey, honey bun, what say you get me out of these cuffs, we go off somewhere and bump some uglies.” Merle coaxed.

Snorting, Rosalina wrinkled her nose up. “The only ugly getting bumped around here will be your face with the hilt of my sword if you don’t shut up right now.”

Merle turned on her, growling out, “Nobody asked you, brit. What’d you say, angel-face? You interested? Gonna die anyway.”

“I’d rather.” Andrea shot him down, earning herself a nod of respect from Rosalina.

Scrunching up his face, Merle scoffed out, “Muff muncher. Figured as much.”

Casting one final look of complete loathing at the redneck, Rosalina turned to listen to Morales and Rick talking. “Streets ain’t safe. Now that’s an understatement.”

“What about under the streets, the sewers?” Rick questioned, making the group perk up, Morales in particular.

“Oh man. Hey, Glenn, check the alley. You see any manhole covers?” Glenn followed his orders, dashing across to the other side of the roof, holding onto the railings as he peered over. 

He soon ran back over, shaking his head. “No. They must be all out on the street where the geeks are.”

“Maybe not.” Jacqui interjected, a spark lit in her eyes suddenly. “Old buildings like this, built in the ‘20s, big structures often had drainage tunnels into the sewers in case of floods. Down in the sub-basements.”

“How do you know that?” Glenn asked in time with Rosalina, the whole group staring at Jacqui in surprise.

“It’s my job,” She explained, “Was. I worked in the city zoning office.” 

Standing up shakily, Rosalina smirked. “I don’t know about you, but I say we check these damn sub-basements.”

“I think I might know what she’s talking about.” Glenn started, nodding his head. “Follow me.”

They began to file after him, with only Rosalina glancing back at the last minute to see T-Dog still sat where he was, Merle opposite him. “You okay on your own with him?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” He called back, aiming a glare at Merle. “Might get a few free hits in.”

Her only response was to smirk, ducking back inside the building and following the group down the stairs again.

When they reached the basement, it was dark, dimly lit only by the slits of light that crept in through the cracks in the blinds and the torches everyone carried. Glenn led them through the freezing room, to a square shaped pit in the corner of the room. There was a ladder to get down to the bottom of it, and it seemed to lead away from the building, from what little Rosalina could make out. “I really scoped this place out the other times I was here. It’s the only thing in the building that goes down.”

“And carries the plague.” Rosalina muttered, but only Rick managed a small smile at her joke.

“I know, right? I’ve never gone down it.” Glenn explained, looking down at the tunnel. “Who’d want to, right?”

With the exception of only Rosalina, the group shot him a meaningful look, making him grimace. “Oh. Right. Great.”

“We’ll be right behind you.” Andrea encouraged gently.

Instantly, Glenn shook his head. “No, you won’t. Not you.”

Tensing defensively, Andrea demanded, “Why? Why not me? You think I can’t?”

Stumbling over his words, Glenn didn’t seem to know how to defend himself. Rick stepped in, encouraging him, “Speak your mind.

Taking a deep breath, he began to explain. “Look, until now, I always came here by myself, in and out, grab a few things, no problem. First time I bring a group, everything goes to hell. No offence. But if you want me to go down this gnarly hole, fine. But only if we do it my way. It’s tight down there. I I run into something and I have to get out quick, I don’t want you all jammed up behind me, getting me killed.”

“So just take one person. Or two.” Rosalina suggested, leaning on the barrier that surrounded the hole. “Then we can keep a few people up here protecting the doors.”

“Exactly what I was thinking.” He nodded, gesturing to Rick. “I don’t want you down there with me. You’ve got Mo’s gun, and I’ve seen you shoot. I’d feel better if you’re out in the store, watching those doors, covering your ass.”

He turned to Andrea next. “You’ve got the only other gun so you should go with him.”

Before he could speak to Rosalina, she had already taken the words out of his mouth. “I’ll go with them. I’ve got half an arsenal in this bag, so we won’t just be relying on bullets. Take Morales down with you, and then Jacqui can stay up here and call down if anything happens. Extra backup.”

“You’re reading my mind.” He laughed, the youngest pair sharing knowing glances. 

“Alright,” Rick started, patting Glenn on the shoulder. “Everybody knows their jobs, so lets go.”

“Good luck.” Rosalina wished cheerfully, pulling her hair back into a ponytail away from her face. Several curly green strands immediately fell out, making her sigh in irritation, but her attention was drawn back to Glenn as he began to climb down. Morales followed after him. 

Tapping her arm, Rick nodded towards the door, both Rosalina and Andrea following him out of the door and back to the store front. At the doors, the walkers continued to relentlessly pound on the glass. 

An automatic reflex, Rosalina’s hand reached to grip her sword. 

“Sorry for the gun in your face.” Andrea apologised awkwardly, breaking the silence that had begun to linger. 

Rick just nodded understandably. “People do things when they’re afraid.”

But, unable to let things lie, Andrea pressed, “Not that it was entirely unjustified.”

Rolling her eyes, Rosalina hopped up on the counter. “You’re like a dog with a bone, sweetheart, never knowing when to let it go.”

Shooting the green-haired girl a quick look, Rick turned to ask Andrea, “If I get us out, will that make up for it?”

“No,” Andrea answered honestly, pretending to not have heard Rosalina’s comment. “But it would be a start.”

Briefly, their attention was diverted to the smashing of fists on glass, luckily without making any permanent impact. Rick, sensing the tense atmosphere, gently joked, “Next time though, take the safety off. Won’t shoot otherwise.” 

While the older adults conversed, Rosalina flipped through the clothes. Glancing over at Andrea, she estimated her size, pulling two shirts off the rack and packing them into her bag. She then considered Jacqui, and picked up a pair of dark, navy blue jeans. She then pulled a few more items off, not caring about size or style, cramming them down into the bag. For herself, she pulled a plain black hat off a shelf, dropping it onto her head. 

Glancing in the nearest mirror, she smiled, pleased with her admittedly bedraggled reflection. As T-Dog had said, there was already the forming of a purple bruise beneath her eye, spreading across her cheekbone. It certainly wasn’t an attractive look, but it certainly made her look a lot tougher.

Picking up a pair of black sunglasses, she tried them on. The pointed edges complimented her face in a nice way, and at least covered some of the bruise. She kept them on as well as the hat, straightening her chainmail vest. She’d already seen some of the others eyeing it up, but she didn’t feel the need to explain. Protection was protection, no matter the story it held behind it. 

“You okay over there, Rose?” Rick tested out her nickname, speaking slowly, as though the word tasted foreign in on his tongue. 

Rosalina smiled, holding her thumb up to him. “Yeah, I’m good. Just doing a bit of shopping.”

Skipping her way back across to the counter, she noticed Andrea admiring a pretty little silver necklace, with a mermaid charm hanging off the chain. “It’s cute. You like it?”

“Not me, but I know someone who would.” The harsh tone of voice Rosalina had heard her use all the time she had known her was gone, replaced by an affectionate, warm voice that matched the smile growing on her face. “My sister. She’s still such a kid in some way. Unicorns, dragons, she’s into all that stuff.”

“She’s got great taste.” Rosalina complimented honestly, flashing a sweet smile. She leaned on the counter, her elbows pressed against the glass surface. “I’m guessing mermaids are her favourite?”

“Oh yeah. Mermaids rule. She loves mermaids.” Her hand ran across the charm.

“Why not take it?” Rick suggested, hearing their conversation from where he stood a few feet away. Andrea turned, meeting his smile with a joking one of her own. 

“There’s a cop staring at me.” She teased. Rosalina laughed, shaking her head.

“Honey, nobody’s going to judge you for taking one necklace.” She assured her, happy when Andrea slipped the dainty necklace into her back-pocket.

The calm moment was suddenly broken when the sound of glass smashing alerted them to the glass doors. The walkers had managed to bust through the first set, leaving them only wit one barrier separating them. 

Storming forward, the three pulled their weapons out ready, seeing the basement trio reappear. “What did you find down there? Is it a way out?”

Morales shook his head, causing Andrea to sigh. “Then we need to find a way out. Soon.”

They gathered back up at the top of the building, Rosalina quickly filling T-Dog in on the situation they faced. The same positions from before were resumed, with Rosalina sitting cross-legged opposite Merle and T-Dog on her left side, while Rick scouted the area with a pair of binoculars. “That construction sight, those trucks. They always keep keys on hand.” 

“They’ll never make it past the walkers.” Morales shot down immediately, but Rick simply turned to Glenn.

“You got me out of that tank.” He pointed out.

“Yeah, but they were feeding. They were distracted.” He argued.

“Then we cause another distraction.” Rosalina stated plainly, her eyes never leaving Merles’. They were in an intense stare off, neither wanting to break first, despite the competition never having been announced aloud. 

“They’re drawn by sound, right? What else?” Rick asked.

“Aside from they hear you, they see you, they smell you. And if they catch you, they eat you.” Morales answered grimly. 

Not having heard this information, Rick repeated, “They can smell us?”

“They smell dead, we don’t.” Andrea summed up. “It’s pretty distinct.”

Slowly, Rick began formulating a plan. “We need to go back downstairs, now.”

“Why?” Rosalina asked, clicking her fingers in Merle’s face. He blinked, glowering at the triumphant smirk she shot him before turning to face Rick. “What’re you planning?”

“You’re not gonna like it,” He warned first of all, before beginning to explain. “If they can smell us, then we need to disguise our smell with theirs.”

“H-” Glenn started, but he quickly caught on, his voice scrunching up in disgust. “No way.”

“It might be the only way!” Rick pressed, looking around pleadingly.

“You’re asking us to cover ourselves in walker guts?” Rosalina shuddered, holding back a gag at the very thought. 

Without any other way to respond, Rick shrugged, looking around at them pleadingly. “I think it’s our best shot.”

“And I think it’s disgusting.” She stood, struggling to control her blank facial expression. “So how do we do it?”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unable to control her expression, despite her best efforts, Rosalina found her face contorting in disgust. Pushing her shoulders back, she willed herself to find courage as she looked down at the walker corpse T-Dog and Morales had dragged in for them. 

Rick was already handing out protective coats to be pulled over their clothes, as well as thickly layered gloves. Immediately, Rosalina yanked them on, wrapping the trench coat around her tightly. The rotting stench of death was wafted towards her, driving a harsh cough out of her throat. She was close to retching, and keeping the tin of beans down she had demolished hours ago was proving to be a harder task than she expected. 

“I’m starting to regret agreeing to this.” She admitted, taking heaving breaths. 

She wasn’t alone in her uncertainty. Glenn was slowly turning a very pale shade of green, not bothering to hide his discomfort, while Andrea and Jacqui were both staring apprehensively at the corpse. Even Rick himself seemed uncertain of whether he had made the right call, looking down at the rotting body with thin lips. “I still don’t think we have much choice.”

“If bad ideas were an olympic event, this would take the gold.” Glenn stated, taking the gloves handed to him by Rick. At his side, Rosalina nodded. 

“He’s right,” Morales started, standing in front of Rick, stopping him from continuing to pass equipment around the nervously waiting group. “Take some time to think this through.”

“How much time?” Rick shot back immediately, working around the man and tossing a coat to Glenn. “They already got through one set of doors. That glass won’t hold forever.”

“Neither will my stomach when we start bashing this bastard open.” Stomach heaving, Rosalina looked away for a moment, closing her eyes and composing herself. 

When she looked back up, Rick gave her an apologetic glance, but she simply brushed it off with a small smile. Instead, she handed him a protective visor for his face and a baseball bat, raising her eyebrows. “I get the feeling you’re going to need these.”

“Thanks.” Taking them from her, Rick bravely kneeled down next to the corpse, his covered hands diving into the pockets. Around him, the group exchanged confused looks, but said nothing until he pulled out a wallet. “Wayne Dunlap. Georgia licence. Born 1979.”

Solemnly, Glenn took the wallet handed to him. They all stood in silence for a few moments, forgetting briefly the gagging feeling that sat in the backs of their throats. “He had twenty-eight dollars in his pocket when he died and a picture of a pretty girl.”

Gently, Rosalina took the pictures from Rick, reading the words written in pencil on the back. “With love, from Rachel.”

The sobering moment was continued when Rick began to speak again, “He used to be like us. Worrying about bills, or the rent, the Super Bowl. If I ever find my family, I’m going to tell them about Wayne.”

He rose again, preparing to make the first blow when Glenn stopped him. “One more thing. He was an organ donor.”

Fighting back a laugh at the irony, Rosalina bit down on her gloved hand, hoping the action was mistaken for one of repulsion when Rick drove the bat down onto the body. 

It made a sickening splat sound on contact, drawing nauseated moans from Andrea and Morales. Somehow, the rest remained silent until Rick cut into it again, forcing Glenn to back away from the body and press himself against the wall. Jacqui had covered her mouth, while T-Dog stood strong, simply staring down at the mutilated corpse, appalled.

Seeing the toll it was starting to take on Rick, Rosalina bravely forced herself to step forward, snatching an axe up and bringing it down forcefully on the neck. Blood splashed back at her, drawing a scream out of her throat, but she simply shuddered before carrying on. Briefly making eye contact, she could see the relief in Rick’s eyes at the offer of help. 

In the corner, his hands on his knees, Glenn began to retch. His only sympathy came from Rick, who held up one hand and breathlessly muttered, “Later.”

Finally, the guts were clearly exposed, both Rick and Rosalina sharply dropping their weapons and stepping away. Rosalina heaved, gagging at the blood that covered her hands, feeling an acidic bile clawing its way up her throat. But she forced it back down again.

“Don’t let it get on your skin.” Rick warned, his voice sounding distant to Rosalina’s ears. She couldn’t tell if Merle’s punch was finally taking effect or the putrid smell emanating from the body next to her was distorting the rest of her senses. 

Together, all seven of them reached down, pulling out the entrails and beginning to cover Rick and Glenn in them. “Oh god it’s bad.”

“Think about something else.” Rick suggested gently to the revolted Glenn. “Puppies and kittens.”

“Dead puppies and kittens.” T-Dog muttered off-handedly. This was all it took to push Glenn over the edge as he turned to the side, vomiting over the floor. 

Rolling her eyes, Rosalina gave T-Dog a sharp shove, while Andrea exclaimed, “That is just evil, what is wrong with you?”

Looking between the newest additions to the group, Jacqui said, “Next time, let the cracker beat his ass.”

T-Dog gave a quick apology, rubbing his arm where Rosalina had aimed her sharp dig. Glenn meanwhile managed to recover himself, allowing the green-haired girl to continue to cover him. Leaning down, she spoke softly into his ear, “I have no idea how you’re able to do this. I’d be on my back choking up my guts by now. You’re either incredibly dumb, or ridiculously brave.”

“Probably a little bit of both.” He replied through gritted teeth. But Rosalina’s words had the desired effect, and he managed to straighten himself up. Nobody seemed to have noticed the exchange.

“Do we smell like them?” Rick questioned, fully covered.

Scrunching her face up, Rosalina nodded. “Worse if that’s possible.”

The rest nodded in agreement, while Andrea circled around Rosalina to Glenn, holding out her silver gun. “Glenn. Just in case.”

Taking it from her, Rosalina lifted up Glenn’s coat, pushing it into the waistband of his jeans. “At least you’ve got just as much protection as the General over there now. Good call, Andrea.”

“If we make it back, be ready.” Rick ordered, skipping over the new nickname he’d been awarded. 

“What about Merle Dixon?” T-Dog asked, shocking the group. Rosalina especially would’ve thought that would be the last thing on the man’s mind after the events that had unfolded hours before. 

Grimacing, Rick reached into his coat, pulling out a key and tossing it to T-Dog. His fist closed around it, nodding once before stepping back out of the circle that had formed. 

“Good luck.” Rosalina wished, stepping out of the way to allow Glenn and Rick past her to the door. They stepped out, Morales slamming the door shut behind them, quietly repeating Rosalina’s words before doing so.

The minute the door was shut, the remaining four rushed upstairs, hurrying up the many flights, adrenaline pumping through their veins. Reaching the roof, they busted through the door, ignoring Merle’s demands to know what was going on as they leaned over the building side, Morales using his binoculars to track their two teammates mission. 

“Base camp, this is T-Dog. Can anybody hear me?” T-Dog tried on the radio, hearing only static. “Anybody hear me?”

“That asshole’s out on the street with the handcuff keys?” Merle demanded, managing to put two and two together. Next to her, T-Dog smugly showed Merle the key in his hand. 

Overhead, thunder rumbled, and Rosalina looked up to see looming black clouds above them. She bit her lip nervously. “Hello, Base Camp. Is there anybody there?”

Making everybody jump, a voice crackled through over the radio. “Hello. Reception’s bad on this end, repeat, repeat.” 

“Shane, is that you?” T-Dog’s voice was suddenly hopeful, all aspects of the escape plan coming together finally. “We’re trapped. There’s geeks all over the place. We’re in a department store, but it’s surrounded. Two newcomers-”

He was cut off by a sudden explosion of static. “Hello? Is anybody there?”

Nobody answered him, Jacqui and Andrea looking at each other desperately. Morales remained fixed on Glenn and Rick, while Rosalina shook her head sadly, patting T-Dog gently on the shoulder. “The General and Glenn will get us out of here. I trust them.”

“You’ve only just met them.” Andrea pointed out bluntly, her leg shaking nervously. 

Turning back to face the street again, Rosalina only shook her head with a small smile. “I know, I still trust them. They’re the good guys.”

However, her optimism seemed to be misplaced, when a steady rainfall began, droplets hitting their exposed skin. “Oh, man.”

“The blood, it’ll wash off.” Jacqui gasped, anxiously clenching her fingers. “They’ll be able to smell them.”

Rosalina hushed her, lifting her hand as though batting the worries away. “They’re close, and both armed. They can fight their way out if they need to.”

Proving her right, the two distant figures broke out into a run, reaching the wire gate and scaling it quickly, discarding their now useless coats. Together, the group cheered, Andrea and Jacqui clasping their hands together joyfully while Rosalina muttered a silent thank you with her eyes closed.

With difficulty because of the rain and distance, they were able to watch the pair climb into a van, quickly starting it and driving away from the city gate. “They’re leaving us.”

Rosalina shook her head, not believing Andrea’s words. “No, they’re coming back. Rick’s got a plan, I’m sure of it.”

“Where are they going?” She demanded, terrified, unable to hear Rosalina’s words over her panic. “No, no, come back.”

Suddenly, Glenn’s voice was heard over the radio, “Guys, get ready, we’re coming to get you. Go to the roll up door, round the back.”

Andrea gasped, clutching a hand to her chest in relief. Jacqui, Morales and T-Dog all cheered, Rosalina giving all of them a look that screamed ‘I told you so’. Only Merle seemed fearful, watching as they all made a break for the stairs, grabbing their bags.

“Come on, you can’t leave me like this!” He yelled. “You can’t leave me here!”

The others had already gone, leaving only T-Dog and Rosalina stood on the rooftop. “Come on, give him the key and he can get out his damn self. I’m not staying here any longer to risk our lives for his miserable one.”

T-Dog nodded, hearing the logic in her idea, but guilt overpowered him. “Go on, I’ll let him out.” 

Uncertainly, Rosalina nodded, heaving a sigh before turning and rushing to the door. She thumped down the stairs with no grace, excited by the prospect of finally escaping the city she had been trapped in since the beginning.

It didn’t take her long to catch up with the others, her chainmail clinking and her rucksack swinging. The weight of her swords fell heavy on her, but she was doing her best to ignore it as heard a loud, blaring car alarm outside. “What is that?”

“Noise.” Rosalina triumphed, clawing her hands together. “They’re leading them away from the store!”

From the front of the store, they could hear glass smashing, just as T-Dog reached them, panting heavily. Rosalina didn’t have chance to ask where Merle was, something heavy and solid hitting the roll up door they were all gathered around. 

At the impact, they heaved on the chains that opened the door, finding Rick stood in the back of a truck.

Breathing sighs of relief, they hurriedly clambered inside, Rosalina letting out a scream when she felt a hand clamp down on her ankle. Twisting her head, she saw a walker had grabbed ahold of her, it’s black teeth leering dangerously close to her exposed skin.

Kicking out, she hit it in the head, dazing it long enough for her to yank her ankle free, yelling out, “Fucking drive!”

Rick followed her instructions, slamming down on the gas pedal and driving them away from the store that was now overrun with walkers, Morales slamming down the door to the truck to prevent anymore unwanted visitors making a grab for them.

Letting out a deep breath, Rosalina collapsed back again the side of the truck, clutching onto a rope above her head to keep her in place as the vehicle tipped precariously from side to side. 

She took a moment to look around at the group, finding them all in similar states to herself. Sweat clung to their skin, hair sticking in clumps to their faces, chests heaving with the effort of getting another oxygen to their lungs. But all held the same relieved expression, growing more and more relaxed the further they drove.

The only exception to this was T-Dog, who glared guiltily at the corner of the truck. “I dropped the damn key.”

He seemed to expect a different reaction to the one he received, which was uncaring looks and shrugs. Only Rosalina managed a solemn drop of her head, guilt holding onto her heart for the abandoned party member they had lost. He may have been a racist, sexist pig, but he was human. That was hard to find these days.

“Where’s Glenn?” Andrea asked, noting the lack of his presence. 

Glancing over his shoulder from the driver’s seat, Rick replied, “He took another ride.”

Minutes later, they heard a distinct car alarm closing in on them, Rosalina throwing the door open to the truck to wave at the approaching Glenn in a red and black striped car. “Heya! Can I hitch a lift?”

Rolling his eyes, Rick pulled over, allowing her to hop out with a small mock-salute and climb into the passenger seat of the sports car. Once inside, she ran her hands over the dashboard, breathing in the smell of leather. “It’s fucking beautiful!”

“I know!” Glenn exclaimed, starting to drive again. With ease, they over-took the truck, racing down the road whooping and cheering like a pair of teenagers driving for the first time. “This is awesome!”

The thrill of driving fast didn’t wear of the longer they drove, Rosalina encouraging Glenn to go as fast as they could without the fuel running out. He listened, pulling the windows down so that the wind whipped at Rosalina’s green hair, the ringing alarm soon falling deaf on their ears. 

It wasn’t long before they were pulling up a mountain side, Rosalina’s sharp eyes seeing figures running around and even smoke blowing up into the air the higher they climbed. She assumed this was the base camp.

“D’you think we should turn the alarm off?” She yelled over the noise, certain the ringing siren would continue for a few hours after she climbed out of the vehicle. 

“Too late now!” He called back, as they drove up in front of the encampment, dirt riding up behind them as Glenn swerved to a stop. Together, they climbed out, immediately being greeted by several angry voices.

“Turn that damn thing off will you!” An older man with bushy eyebrows and a grey beard ordered. 

Rosalina shot a look at Glenn, murmuring to him, “Told you so!”

While Glenn tried to explain he didn’t know how, Rosalina popped the hood off the car up, pulling out the wire that connected the engine to the alarm. “Your welcome, all!”

Nobody seemed to pay attention to her, Glenn being harassed by a short girl with skinny arms and long blonde hair. “Where is she? Is she okay? Why isn’t she with you?”

“Yes, she’s okay! She’s fine. Everybody is.” He assured the gathered group, rolling his eyes. Lazily, he gestured to Rosalina. “This is Rose, we picked her up in the city.”

“Hi.” She greeted, somewhat awkwardly, feeling the weight of several pairs of eyes on her at once.

She couldn’t decide if more of them looked hostile or sympathetic. She could understand both reactions. For one, she was a very English woman stood on American soil, and that already made her a threat. For two, she didn’t exactly look like the warmest of people. With a thin chainmail vest hanging over a tank top, and a leather jacket wrapped around her waist, a pair of skinny black jeans as well, she already looked like a steampunk-wannabe, adding in the weapons she had strapped in holsters on her thighs, waist and back. The green hair had never been a popular look either, often being described as ‘rebellious’, not a quality a group of serious adults trying to survive the apocalypse wanted in a new member.

But then, a small boy with a mop of dark brown hair walked up to her, giving her a childish smile of warmth. “Can I see your sword?”

The question made her laugh, relaxing for a second. “Sure, long as it’s okay with all the responsible adult type people floating around here.”

He turned back, pleadingly meeting the eyes of a thin, pretty woman with a whispy fringe and long wavy hair. She shook her head with a smile, considering for a moment before nodding. “Alright, but don’t let him use it.”

Nodding in understanding, Rosalina crouched down closer to the boy’s height, withdrawing her sword and placing it horizontal in his awaiting hands. “It’s just a typical long-sword, not sure how old but I’d guess a few decades at least. Pretty cool, huh?”

“Yeah!” The boy agreed, wrapping both hands around the handle. He almost dropped it, the weight unexpected. Rosalina laughed, manoeuvring it so that the tip of the blade sat on the floor. “I’m Carl.”

“Nice to meet you, Carl. I’m Rose.” She smiled at him kindly, seeing a young girl standing around in the background, watching enviously. “Is that your friend?”

Hands still clutching the sword, Carl turned, eyes lighting up. “Sophia! Come look!”

The blonde girl turned back, looking at an older woman Rosalina assumed to be her mother. She nodded softly with a smile, allowing the girl to clumsily run over to them. Her long legs seemed to be new to her, suggesting she was closer to early teens than childhood.

“Here you go, sweetheart.” Nodding to Carl, Rosalina took the blade out of his willing hands, allowing Sophia to grip the handle. Surprising all three, she was able to lift up off the ground, making the older girl clap her hands. “Hey, looks like you’re a natural.”

Thrilled, Sophia grinned at her, while Carl clamoured to try on Rosalina’s chainmail next, already having grown bored of the sword.

“Carl, don’t badger the girl. She only just got here.” Carl’s mother called over to them, giving Rosalina a warm smile. “Would you like to sit down? I imagine you’re tired.”

“Thank you.” Rosalina replied gratefully, moving over to where a few camping chairs had been set up, gesturing for the two children to follow her. “Come on, I’ll let you see what I’ve got in my bag if you’re good.”

The pair shared excited looks, making the three women around the fire laugh. Carl’s mother turned to Rosalina while Sophia and Carl fought over the chainmail she had handed them. “I’m Lori. This is Carol, she’s Sophia’s mother.”

“Pleasure to meet you both.” Nodding her head respectively, Rosalina pulled her daggers off her back, rolling her shoulders, grateful for the sudden loss of weight. “I feel I should apologise for holding up the rest of your group. Glenn stopped to help me and another ‘dumbass’ as he described us, and it ended badly.”

“As long as everyone’s okay now.” Carol assured her softly with a kind smile. 

But Rosalina pursed her lips, shaking her head. “Not everyone I’m afraid. Merle Dixon, the jackass who gave me this black eye and a possible concussion, he didn’t make it in the end. He’s still in the building.”

Lori and Carol shared a quick look, Rosalina glancing down to make sure the children weren’t paying attention. They weren’t, Sophia instead helping Carl untangle himself from the armour. “Trust me, nobody will miss him. Except his brother, Daryl.”

“Damn,” Rosalina murmured, eyes fluttering closed. “Looks like I ought to be saving my apology for this Daryl.”

Before either Carol or Lori could deliver their warnings about Merle’s short-tempered brother, the sounds of an engine rumbling up the hill diverted their attentions. Twisting, Rosalina saw the truck driving towards them, coming to a stop behind Glenn’s car. “And they’re back.”

Practically throwing herself out of the truck, Andrea flung herself into the arms of the blonde girl who had been pestering Glenn minutes ago, the pair of them sobbing in relief. Rosalina assumed this was the sister she had spoke about so fondly earlier.

T-Dog hopped out next, followed by Morales, who immediately was engulfed in a group hug by who Rosalina guessed was his family. She hoped that at some point in the next few hours, people would begin to tell her their names, because all the guesswork was making her head ache. 

She waited for Rick to climb out, anxious to not be alone in a sea of strangers. At least with Rick, she wouldn’t be the only newcomer. 

“How’d you guys get out anyway?” The grey-haired man asked.

“New guy,” Glenn replied. “He got us out.” 

The man in question then began to climb out of the truck, eyes downcast at the happy family reunions going on around him. But then, Rosalina watched as he looked up, seeing Carl and Sophia sat playing with all of Rosalina’s gear, laughing. Something changed in his face, his expression scrunching up in a mixture of disbelief and joy from what she could tell. “CARL!”

The boy looked up, mouth dropping open. “DAD! DAD!”

Rosalina watched in shock as Carl tossed everything to the side, racing to Rick and throwing himself at the man’s body, quick engulfed in an embrace, almost knocking them both to the ground. Lori shakily stood from her seat, stumbling quickly towards them, crying out in surprise. Rick opened his arm out to her, pulling her into the hug.

Around them, the camp members stood to watch, sharing soft smiles and wide-eyed looks. To the side, Rosalina noticed one man simply staring, seeming neither happy or shocked. It unnerved her, the glassy look in his eyes, and she shivered before turning away, instead whispering to Sophia, “Wanna see my dagger?”

Too young to fully understand what was happening in front of her, Sophia looked away from the group and grinned at Rosalina, nodding her head shyly. Sensing the girl’s quiet nature, Rosalina gently coaxed her close, pulling out the dagger in question. “Be really careful when I hand it to you. It’s a lot lighter than my long-sword, but also much sharper. You seem like a sensible girl though so I’m trusting you with it. Promise you’ll be careful?”

Again, Sophia nodded, managing to answer, “I promise.”

“Alright then.” Holding the bottom half of the handle, Rosalina passed it over, glancing over the younger girl’s shoulder to see the reunited family still tightly hugging, Rick showing no signs of letting go any time soon. She smiled, before turning back to Sophia again, starting to tell her about where she had picked up the swords.

Finally, after months spent trapped in the over-ridden city, Rosalina allowed herself to completely relax. She felt comfortable around these people, with the exception of only the glassy-eyed man that stood a few feet away. But for now, she put him to the back of her mind. 

She could worry about that after a night of sleep without the threat of walkers breaking though and eating her while she slept. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was Carol who ended up introducing Rosalina to everyone, while they sat around the fire that night, the dimming embers hidden by a towering pile of rocks so that no walkers would see the light.

“So there’s Shane, Lori, Carl, Dale, Andrea, Amy, Ed, Jacqui, T-Dog and Jim. The rest of them I’m sure you’ll meet in the morning.” Carol looked down at her from the chair on which she sat fondly, having taken a quick liking to the green-haired girl.

Rosalina, seated on the floor cross-legged with her jacket wrapped around her shoulders, nodded along to each of the names listed off, putting each name to a face. But, silently, she chose nicknames to remind her of each of them. Amy had quickly become mermaid girl, not only because of the obsession Andrea had revealed she had, but also because of her flowing blond hair that reminded Rosalina of the many paintings she had seen depicting the mythical creatures. 

Shane was renamed the ‘spider’. Something about the way his eyes watched the group, how he seemed to remain on the outskirts but still managed to maintain a strong presence made her think of a spider spinning its web, starting along the edges and settling finally in the middle. 

Rick, of course, had been named as The General. It lacked originality, that much Rosalina knew, but it suited him to well for her to want to alter it.

“Can I get a register for all of these please?” She jokingly asked Carol, laughing at herself. “I’m honestly useless with names. For two years I called my one friend Jonah the wrong name before they finally corrected me.”

“What was his actual name?” Amy asked, hearing their conversation from where she was sat opposite, her head resting on Andrea’s shoulder. Most of the group turned to listen, exhausted from their long day, and far too tired to keep their own conversations up. They were all holding their family members close, with the exception of only Dale, Shane, Jim and Rosalina.

Raising her eyebrows with a quiet chuckle, Rosalina admitted, “Well, let’s just say my dear friend Mary wasn’t sure how to react to me calling her a boy for three years. However, in my defence, that was a seriously ill-thought out hairstyle.”

Laughter rocked through the camp, even Shane chuckling from his corner. Carol clamped her hand over her mouth, laughing quietly. Carl and Sophia giggled innocently, making Rosalina smile wider.

“How did you even get here?” T-Dog asked, once the chuckles had died out. “No offence, but you ain’t exactly waving your stripes with that sort of accent.”

She shuffled, getting comfortable before explaining. “Lets just say I picked the wrong time for a business trip. I got a call about a month before it happened, said a patient needed to see me urgently. He got transferred over here two years ago, and it seems I’m the only one he’d deal with. I was complimented at first, until I got trapped in Armageddon without a friend in sight or even anyone to rely on in this hell. I ended up stuck in the city, raiding various stores for equipment, anything to keep me alive. Could’ve been worse though. I could’ve been transferred to Washington DC. Then I’d be stuck with a load of politicians running the city even further into the ground.”

“Patient?” Lori questioned curiously. “I don’t mean to offend, but you seem a little young to be a doctor.”

“I’m twenty-three.” Rosalina revealed, surprising some members of the group. “But you’re right, I am young for a medical doctor. Luckily, I’m just a psychologist. More specifically, a forensic psychologist. I deal with criminals usually, sometimes making exceptions. And, actually, I’m still the youngest to get my qualifications in England, and damn proud of it too.”

Around her, she received looks of astonishment, ones that she’d had many times before too. “Alright, we can bask in my intelligent glory another night, for now I’m going to find somewhere to set up. I don’t suppose anyone has a tent going spare?”

They all shook their head, some apologetically, before Dale suggested, “Just take Daryl’s for tonight, seeing as he’s not here. We can organise something more permanent for you in the morning.”

“Grazie.” She said gratefully, the casual language change seeming normal to her. “Where am I going?”

“Far side of camp, right side of the RV. I can’t imagine you’ll miss it, there’s a massive motorbike next to it.” Glenn said to her, spooning his bowl of tinned beans into his mouth hurriedly, meaning his words were muffled. Beside him, Jacqui gave him a revolted look. 

At the mention of the word ‘motorcycle’, Rosalina’s mossy green eyes brightened, suddenly on high alert. “You’re kidding me! This guy’s got a bike? D’you think I can convince him to let me ride it?”

Her excitement was diminished by the sudden chorus of, “No!”

“Why not?” She pouted, dropping her shoulders.

“No doubt you’ll meet Daryl in the next few days. Then you’re understand why.” Shane told her off-handedly, earning a few chuckles of agreement. Rosalina simply rolled her eyes, dejectedly wandering away from the gathered group to try and find her accommodation for the night. Behind her, she heard an emotional Rick begin to tell his story of how he got to Atlanta, one that she was sure she’d be able to hear another day. 

It didn’t take her long to find the tent, seeing the gleaming silver of the motorcycle handles glinting in the moonlight. She let out a low whistle, daring to lean over the side of the wagon it had been stationed in to run one lone finger along the paintwork. It was beautiful, and reminded her distinctly of the one she had left at home. “Damn. I’ll fight this guy for you, baby, you’re gorgeous.”

Reluctantly, she pulled away, moving to enter the dark tent. Inside, there was a strong smell of the forest mixed with sweat, making her scrunch her nose up. Nonetheless, she knelt down onto the floor, dropping her bag to the side and pulling her chainmail off, before collapsing against the floor. It was cold, but that didn’t bother, instead just pulling her jacket tighter against her. 

It wasn’t long before she dropped off to sleep, ignoring the hard ground beneath her back and listening to the quiet, human noises of the group around her.


	2. Bad habits; sleep-stabbing, getting thrown into hard surfaces and stealing tents

Somehow, to the other’s shock, Rosalina managed to sleep through the noise of the men pulling apart her and Glenn’s beloved car, and even the shouts and yells of Carl, Sophia and Morales’ children playing directly outside her borrowed tent, secretly hoping to wake her up and see her weaponry again. Lori quickly put a stop to their racket.

When she finally rose, after a good eleven or so hours of sleep, she seemed to be in better shape than the night before. She left her hair loose around her shoulders, a blush on her pale cheeks and her light pink lips stretched into a tired smile. For now, she abandoned the heavy gear she was strapped in before, instead wearing a faded band shirt that faintly read ‘Black Sabbath’. On her head, she still worse the same black hat she’d stolen yesterday, but the stolen sunglasses had been abandoned for now. 

“Morning everyone.” She greeted cheerfully, taking a seat next to Carol, who was ironing Rick’s clothes. 

The mother looked down at her with a soft smile, while Glenn called over, “Have you see what they did to our car?”

Within seconds she was on her feet, head whipping around to see the car had been cut down to the bare minimum, engine stripped and tyres gone. “Thieves! Monsters! Do you have any idea how much fun that thing was to drive?”

“Exactly!” Glenn agreed, throwing his arms up dramatically. “Finally, someone gets it!”

“You know what, I’ll get us another one, sweetie.” Rosalina promised solemnly, shaking her head at the remains of the car. “And I’ll make sure to keep the engine padlocked!”

A few scattered chuckles went through the group members around them, but before Rosalina could amuse them further her hand was grabbed. Looking down, she found Carl clutching onto her, his trail of friends standing hopefully behind him.

“Can we see your bag now?” He pleaded, looking up at her with wide-eyes. 

Kneeling down, Rosalina smiled, a devilish glint in her expression. “Not right now, but how about after lunch I show you all how to throw knives, if your parents are okay with it. If not, then I’ll let you raid through my supplies. Deal?”

“Deal!” They all agreed excitedly, running away chattering. 

Rosalina watched them go, laughing to herself before sitting back down beside Carol, who looked down at her with a knowing smile. “They’ve taken a liking to you. Sophia was chattering on about how ‘cool’ and ‘pretty’ you were all night.”

The younger woman shook her head disbelievingly. “They're just kids. All they’re thinking is ‘here’s an adult who’ll let us play with knives she must be awesome’. The reality is I’m just really immature.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Carol argued softly, but didn't press the matter. “Please be careful letting Sophia throw knives. She’s only-”

The rest of her sentence was cut off when a boy’s scream sounded through the air, making everyone jump to their feet. Lori yelled out, frightened, “Carl?”

Following the direction of the scream, Rosalina sprinted after the boy’s parents and Shane, snatching a gun up off the ground as she went. They stormed through the trees, Sophia and Carl coming to meet them half-way. 

Shaking, Carl flung himself into his mother’s arms, while Sophia dived into Rosalina’s, taking her by surprise. She clung to the little girl, running a hand through her short hair. “Hey, hey, you’re okay sweetheart. Your mum’s right here, go to her. I promise you’re safe.”

She listened, releasing Rosalina to stumble to her mother’s waiting arms, leaving Rosalina to run after the rest of the group. She followed them through a clearing, grimacing when they fell upon the scene of a walker feasting on a fallen stag corpse. “I’m glad I didn’t have breakfast before this little excursion.” 

Frowning, she saw two arrows sticking out of the stag’s rear end, which she highly doubted the walker had landed. For now, she put it to the back of her mind. 

Together, the group formed a semi-circle around the walker, guns and make-shift weapons raised, Rosalina’s hands itching for the feel of her smooth sword handle rather than the unfamiliar texture of the gun in her hands. She could shoot, that wasn’t a problem, but she was in no way confident with a gun. They were too loud for her liking.

The walker growled, standing up and facing them. It went for Rick first, who slammed the long iron bar he held down onto it’s head. When it flinched back, Shane caught it with the butt of his rifle in-between the shoulder blades, sending it to the floor.

The group began to attack it with every weapon they had, Rosalina dropping her gun to the floor with the safety on and instead kicking at the walker with her feet, landing harder shots than most of the men with their weapons. Behind her, Amy and Andrea watched the brutal attack, gasping at every other hit.

“Cut off the head!” Rosalina ordered over the clanging of metal hitting flesh and bone. Listening, Dale did as he was told, bringing his axe down on the zombies neck, separating the head from the body. 

Waiting for a moment, everybody stepped back once it was certain the walker wasn’t moving, breathing heavily. “That’s the first one we’ve had up here. They never come this far up the mountain.”

“Well, they’re running out of food in the city, that’s what.” Jim said seriously, nervously glancing into the forest. He flinched, the group once again tensing when they heard the sounds of rustling among the trees.

Snatching her gun off the ground, Rosalina stood with the rest, lips pressed tightly together as she aimed forward. Her gaze dashed from side to side, looking for any sign of movement in the forest, her sight blocked mainly by the towering Shane and Rick. Had it been any other situation, she would’ve shoved them out of the way, but for now she simply craned her neck up, cursing her mother for giving her the short height of 5’3.

Finally, a man jumped down from behind a pile of boulders, very much alive and breathing. Everybody released sighs of relief, recognising the figure. Rick and Rosalina, however, stayed staring, confused as to who was smirking in front of them.

He was tall, with broad shoulders and tanned muscular arms that made Rosalina raise her eyebrows. He was dressed in a dirty, ripped tank top that had a patch of dried blood near the collar, and a pair of dark trousers. His hair was a light brown colour, sticking to his face with sweat, and in his hand was a crossbow, an arrow loaded into the weapon that matched the design of the ones sticking out of the stag corpse. “That was my deer.”

The accent suddenly made it clear to Rosalina who this had to be. Merle’s brother, Daryl Dixon. Whatever she had been expecting after meeting his older brother, it wasn’t this. “Look at it, all gnawed on by this filthy, disease-bearing, motherless, poxy-bastard.”

With every new insult, he kicked the lifeless body of the walker, face scrunching up in annoyance. 

“Calm down, now, son. That’s not helping.” Dale warned gently, but this only irritated Daryl, who automatically stormed up to the older man, getting into his face aggressively. It was only now that Rosalina noticed the string of dead squirrels that hung on his shoulder, clearly caught by his own hand.

“What do you know about it, old man?” Daryl spat. “Why don’t you take that stupid hat and go back to ‘On Golden Pond’.”

Unable to stop herself, Rosalina giggled, covering it quickly with a quiet coughing fit. Much to her relief, nobody noticed except Rick, who only shot her a warning look. “I’ve been tracking this deer for miles. I was gonna drag it back to camp, cook us up some venison. What do you think? Think we can cut around this chewed-up part right here?”

“You can do what you want, but I think I’d be sticking to tinned shit for a bit longer if you did.” Rosalina said honestly. Daryl snorted, not bothering to look and see who had made the comment, pulling arrows out of the deer. He didn’t seem to notice the unusual accent, surprising them all. 

“That’s a damn shame. I got some squirrel, about a dozen or so. That will have to do.” As he finished speaking, the head of the walker suddenly sprung to life again, making Amy mutter a quiet ‘oh god’ from where she stood, Andrea wrapping an arm around her protectively.  

The second the jaw moved, Rosalina snatched one of the weapons dropped on the floor by the men, driving it through the skull and brain of the walker. “Guess we should’ve gone for the brain rather than the neck.”

“You don’t even know that?” Daryl asked, finally meeting Rosalina’s eyes. His eyebrows raised, taking in the appearance of the girl in front of him. His eyes trailed down her body, from her curly green hair to skinny waist and wide hips, shown off by the tight-fitting jeans she wore. 

“I do,” She retorted, chin jutting out with a smirk. “But at this time in the morning, I haven’t even smelt a damn pot of coffee, and without it I’m about a useless as lumpy brain over here.”

In response, Daryl only grunted, tearing his gaze from the young woman and starting to storm off in the direction of camp. When he was out of ear-shot, Shane turned to Rosalina, asking, “Now do you see what we meant last night?”

“Nah, I bet he’s a sweetheart deep down.” She replied, voice dripping with taunting sarcasm, beginning to make her way back to the main section of the camp, the others following behind her. Ahead of her, she heard Daryl calling for Merle. Her stomach dropped, exchanging nervous glances with the others before hurrying on.

“Merle. Merle! Get your ass out here!” Daryl approached the RV, getting closer to the tent that Rosalina’s belongings were still sat in. “Got us some squirrels! Let’s stew ‘em up.”

“Daryl,” Shane called, taking charge, “Slow up a bit, I need to talk to you.”

The redneck swung around to look at him, asking off-handedly, “About what?”

Despite his tone, Rosalina could see from her place next to Rick how the muscles in Daryl’s back tensed, betraying his fearfulness. “There’s, a, uh, there was a problem in Atlanta.”

He looked around at the group, seeing the pitying and guilty looks. “He dead?”

“We’re not sure.” Shane answered honestly, only confusing Daryl, which just made him angrier.

“He either is or he ain’t.” 

Rick stepped forward, “There’s no easy way to say it, so I’ll just say it.”

Turning to face him, Daryl demanded, “Who are you?”

“Rick Grimes.”

Daryl puffed his chest up, imitating harshly. “Rick Grimes? Rick Grimes, you got something you want to tell me?”

“Your brother was a danger to us all so I handcuffed him on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal.” Rosalina couldn’t help but be impressed by the bluntness Rick had the courage to use, although she wasn't certain if it was the right approach considering who she was watching currently. “He’s still there.”

Over Rick and Daryl’s heads, Rosalina saw T-Dog approaching, lumbering a tall pile of logs. At the sight of Merle’s younger brother he froze, the guilt that hung heavy in his face since the day before darkening. “Hold on. Let me process this. You’re saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof and you left him there?”

“Yeah.” Rick said honestly. There was no obvious guilt in his voice, but his expression revealed it all. 

Fuming, Daryl flung the line of squirrels to the ground, moving to dive at Rick but before he could Rosalina had pounced forward, tackling him to the ground with a loud thump that made Shane wince from where he stood on guard at the side. At first, he moved to help, but when the girl released an animalistic growl as she fought Daryl’s arms up over his head, he stopped. 

Pushing his arms down into the ground, she tightened her legs around his waist, the skin on her knuckles taunt from the effort of holding him down. He thrashed underneath her, trying hard to throw her off, but she held her advantage. “Get the fuck off me you stupid bitch.”

“I didn’t train with the boys rugby club for two years just for it to go to waste.” She breathed out, pressing against his wrists tighter, trying not to think about the position they were in. “Can you please keep it calm for two minutes while we explain?”

“You left my brother for dead!” He yelled back at her, and this time he managed to fling her off him, sending her tumbling into the RV, the weight of her back hitting the side making a loud crash. 

While Shane grabbed ahold of the raging Daryl, Carol and Amy both came to Rosalina’s aid. She allowed them to pull her up, murmuring in annoyance, “These Dixon lads had better stop tossing me into metal every damn chance they get otherwise we’re going to have a small disagreement.”

Shane and Rick had now taken control of the situation, Daryl trapped in a tight choke hold by Shane while Rick kneeled down in front of him, “I’d like to have a calm discussion on this topic. Do you think we can manage that?”

Somehow, despite the tight hold on his neck, Daryl managed to nod, Shane releasing him sharply. In the background of the dramatic performance, Rosalina tutted, rolling her eyes as she exclaimed, “You couldn’t have agreed to that five fucking seconds ago so that I didn’t end up getting tossed into a caravan!”

Lori hurriedly hushed her when Daryl shot her a skin-burning glare, Carol muttering quietly, “Perhaps not the time.”

Continuing, Rick moved his exasperated look away from Rosalina, becoming serious again. “Look, your brother was a threat to us all. He does not work or play well with others.”

“It’s not Rick’s fault.” The sudden interruption came as a surprise, all eyes snapping to where T-Dog stood. “I had the key. I dropped it.”

“You couldn’t pick it up?” Demanded Daryl, crouched on all-fours on the floor.

“Well, I dropped it down a drain.” T-Dog admitted, not even flinching when Daryl began to storm towards him. But then at the last minute, the hunter seemed to change his mind, side-stepping the taller man and stumbling just in front of Rosalina. He glanced back at her, seeing Carol’s fingers gently pressing against her back, feeling for a bruise. Rosalina let out a quiet hiss of breath, but refused to flinch.

He looked away. “Is that supposed to make me feel better? Cause it don’t!”

“Maybe this will. I locked the door so the geeks couldn’t get at him with a padlock.” T-Dog informed him.

“It’s gotta count for something.” Rick tried calmly.

Rosalina was taken aback to see Daryl wipe at his eyes, his red face wet with a few lone tears. “To hell with y’all! Just tell me where he is so that I can go get him.”

From the step of the RV, Lori spoke, “He’ll show you. Isn’t that right?”

The couple exchanged a long look, one that Rosalina had seen exchanged by married couples many times before. It was like watching them having a telepathic conversation. 

Heaving a deep breath, Rick nodded. “I’m going back.”

The proclamation seemed to have an effect on the group. Daryl scoffed, walking away from them all and heading to his unknowingly rented tent, while Lori dropped her head into her hands tiredly, Carol and Amy shaking their heads. 

Rosalina rose, muttering a quick thank you to Carol and Amy for their help, before speaking to the group, “Well, not to ruin the dramatic mood that’s been wonderfully set, but did anyone have chance to tell Daryl that his tent is currently on loan?”

In answer to her question with almost comical timing, Daryl’s gruff voice yelled out, “Who the fuck was sleeping in my tent?”

He came storming back out, clutching Rosalina’s bag and jacket-she assumed her swords had been left inside for now. He tossed the items to the ground, and she grabbed them up off the floor. She held up one hand, shrugging apologetically. “Yeah, sorry, that would be me. I was told it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“Yeah?” He demanded, walking up to her and sticking his chin out challengingly. She supposed he was trying to be intimidating, using his taller height to his advantage, but she only cocked an eyebrow. “Well, guess what, it is! Get your stuff the fuck out of my tent!”

“Calm down, love, I’ll get my own accommodation in the city anyway.” She assured him, announcing her plan to join the rescue mission. “For now, you’re just going to have to deal because I don’t feel like playing house move with a sore back. Thanks again for that, by the way, really appreciate it.”

Her sarcasm was only making the situation worse, and just as Rick was preparing to step in, Daryl spoke again, “I want it all gone the second your feet hit the ground when we get back.”

“I may sound like it, but I didn't attend Hogwarts, I’m no magical witch.” Rosalina put her hands against his chest, pushing him back. “They'll be gone once I have my tent set up, no later and no earlier. Carry on treating me like a piece of shit, and I’ll make sure to park up right next to you and play my music on full blast all damn night. I also have a bad habit of sleep-stabbing. Just a warning.”

For a good few seconds, the whole group waited in anticipation, many of them seriously considering the possibility that Daryl was going to punch Rosalina in her smirking face. But, much to their relief, he instead backed away, flashing her the finger before walking back to his tent again.

Rosalina let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding, dropping down on the floor again. “Damn, he’s all sunshine and rainbows, isn’t he? Anybody got a Smirnoff, I get the feeling I’m going to need it for this little trip.”

She earned some sniggers, and many nods of agreement.

Slowly, everyone drifted off on their own, Rick approaching Rosalina where she sat uncertainly, not knowing who to speak to. “You sure about coming back with us? We’ll have enough people if you wanna drop out.”

Determinedly, Rosalina shook her head, giving him a small smile, “Thank you, but I actually have my own selfish reasons for going. My car, the one I rented for getting around while I was over here, I have a feeling it might still be there and I’d like to reclaim it again. Besides, I can’t stay in Daryl’s tent anymore, so I need to find some form of accommodation for myself.”

He gave a nod of understanding, returning the smile. “Well, then get ready, cause we’re gonna hit the road soon.”

“You got it, general.” The teasing glint in her eyes didn’t go unnoticed, but Rick simply shook his head, breathing out a quiet laugh before walking away. “Yeah, he definitely is loving the nickname.”

“I’m sure he is.” Carol agreed, chuckling quietly. “For now, I’d suggest trying to get what you need from Daryl. Or I’m sure Shane or-”

“It’s fine, I’m not scared of the big bad wolf.” Jumping up, she let out a low hiss of breath, her back clicking painfully. Rather than sitting back down until the pain resided, she forced herself to walk down through the camp, peering into Daryl’s open tent. 

Inside, she found Daryl lying on his back, eyes closed but he wasn’t asleep. His chest rose and fall to quickly, his movements too still. He was just resting-Rosalina didn’t blame him. 

“Hey,” She greeted softly, feeling almost guilty for disturbing him. He opened his eyes, staring at her expectantly, his expression otherwise blank. “You mind if I grab my gear? I don’t want to be in walker territory without some protection.”

In reply, he simply grunted, which Rosalina took as a yes. Kneeling down, she pulled her chainmail up over her head, strapping her holsters to her thighs first, and then sliding her belt around her hips, sliding her long-sword and gun into each. She armed herself with two knives on either thigh, leaving her daggers on the floor as she slipped her jacket on. “Who the hell uses damn swords anymore?”

“Me,” She replied with a smirk, glancing over at him. He snorted, closing his eyes again. “And besides, I thought only comic-book heroes and elves used arrows anymore.”

“Did you just call me a damn elf?” He asked, sounding almost amused, eyes still closed but a smile pulling up on his face.

“Or a superhero. Depends on which way you look at it.” With that, she strode out of the tent, her sword bouncing against her leg as she went. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once again, Rosalina found herself sat in the back of the truck, bouncing and sliding at each dent in the road. Opposite her was Glenn, who very much looked like he was regretting his decision to join the mission into the city.

Next to him sat T-Dog, staring intently at the floor as though it could explain why he was risking his life for Merle Dixon. But everybody’s answer sat in the front seat, next to Rick who was driving. Daryl’s crossbow was on his back ready, and he sat with his legs drawn up to his chest, head resting back against the seat. He was the most relaxed out of all of them about the danger they were driving into. 

“I’m bored,” Rosalina drawled out, stretching her arms up above her head, showing a sliver of pale skin. “Lets play a game.”

“Not the time.” Rick called back, sounding like an exasperated father on a road trip with his misbehaving kids. Rosalina supposed that wasn't far from the truth. 

“I’ll play.” Glenn shrugged, discarding Rick’s warning.

“Alright.” T-Dog agreed, the pair of them earning a wide, mischievous grin from the young woman. Pulling her hair back into a ponytail, she leaned her head on her hands, raising one eyebrow humorously. 

“Have you ever heard of a little something called two truths and a lie?” She asked, explaining when she received only blank looks. “It’s fun, trust me. Everyone comes up with two true facts about themselves or something that happened to them, and then think of a believable lie. The rest of the players have to guess which are true and which is the lie. Want me to start?”

They nodded, even Rick and Daryl listening from the front seat, curious. “Alright, here we go; I have interviewed Charles Manson. I sang in a Jazz band for two years before starting university. And finally, my middle name is Joanna.”

“No way did you interview Charles freakin’ Manson!” T-Dog insisted immediately, shaking his head. “That’s gotta be the lie! Hell, I can believe you like the whole Jazz scene, and Joanna sounds like a normal name, but you’re definitely not qualified to interview that psycho.”

“I’m not so sure,” Glenn started, watching the amused girl carefully. “She did say last night that she’s the youngest psychologist in the UK. If she’s good enough to do that, maybe she’s good enough to interview Manson. But I definitely don’t get a Jazz vibe from you. You’re too......Nirvana grunge for that.”

The description made Rosalina laugh loudly, sniggering as she said, “Glenn, I honestly cannot thank you enough for that avid description of my persona. It’s honestly perfect. For now though, you need to make your decisions.”

Unconvinced by Glenn’s argument, T-Dog firmly decided, “Manson’s the lie.”

“The Jazz band.” Glenn disagreed.

Rosalina grinned. “Wrong and wrong. Actually my middle name is not Joanna, and I was indeed in a Jazz band, and I have interviewed Charles Manson. One of the creepiest son of a bitches I ever had the displeasure of meeting. As for the Jazz band, we called ourselves the Marilyns and had a gig every Friday night down at the Miners. Good times.”

T-Dog and Glenn couldn’t stop themselves from bursting out with laughter, both Daryl and Rick chuckling from where they sat in the front seats. Proud of the effect her game was having, Rosalina smiled around at them.

“Wait, so what’s your real middle name?” Rick called back, the first to calm down.

Rosalina shook her head, leaning back against the truck wall. “Sorry, boys, but that will forever be lost in the shrouded darkness of my past life.”

“No, come on, you’ve got to tell us now.” Glenn complained loudly, his voice slightly whiney. 

Rosalina rolled her eyes, waving his demand away. “Like a said, sweetie, it’s a secret to be revealed in another life-time. For now, I believe it’s someone else’s turn.”

“Actually, I have a question for you first.” T-Dog stopped her, leaning forward. “Where the hell did you learn to fight with swords? Isn’t that kind of medieval?”

Snorting, Rosalina nodded, traces of a blush warming her cheeks. “I’d like to disagree and say that it’s awesome, but you’re kind of right. And actually, I made my mum take me to classes when I was fourteen. I, er, I kinda had an obsession with the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and they always made it look so cool so I wanted to have a go. So, in all honesty, I have Johnny Depp to thank for me surviving this damn long. And Princess Leia for making me learn to shoot.”

Staring at her in surprise, Glenn’s eyes were wide. He slowly shook his head, disbelieving. “You’re actually a huge geek. This is the best news I’ve had all year.”

“Hey, we don’t use the ‘g’ word around here.” Rosalina warned, unsheathing a knife on her thigh and lazily jabbing it towards Glenn. “I might have learned to fight for pretty pathetic reasons, but I still learnt. Meant I lasted four damn months on my own without anyone else’s help in a city run amok by walkers. Don’t underestimate the power a crush can have.”

The subtle threat with the knife made the two men freeze, uncertain of how to react. It wasn’t every day they were threatened with a knife by a twenty-three year old woman with hair the colour of trees in spring. In the wing-mirror, Daryl glanced back, smirking at the sight. “Don’t tell me you’re scared of her?”

“You didn’t see her in action yesterday!” Glenn defended, pulling a proud smile from Rosalina.

“How scary can she be?” Daryl replied off-handedly, raising a challenge for the girl immediately with his unimpressed tone.

Leaning forward so that she could meet his gaze in the mirror, Rosalina tossed her hair to the side. “Oh, honey, you have no idea what a girl with nothing left to live for can do with a couple of daggers and a sword.”

“Yeah, I guess we’ll see.” He replied gruffly, still disbelieving. 

“You will.” She told him confidently, leaning back casually. With her hat still propped on her head, she tilted it forward, covering her eyes. The bruise Merle had inflicted on her yesterday had darkened, spread along the side of her cheekbone. 

From where he sat, Daryl watched her, finally having the opportunity to really observe her. Automatically, the first thing was his eyes were drawn to was her hair. It was unusual, a deep shade of green that he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen before. Soft curls fell around her neck and face, not quite touching her shoulders but not quite chin length either. It suited her, the brightness of the colour complimenting her pale skin. 

He’d never seen anyone like her around before. He wondered if her lips were naturally that dark shade of pink, or if she’d scavenged some makeup in her travels. He doubted it. 

The purple bruise on her cheek irritated him. It looked out of place against the delicate skin, but then again, when her eyes were lit up when she’d been holding him back earlier, adrenaline pumping through her veins, it had seemed almost natural. She seemed like a fighter, but then she opened her mouth and all she did was crack jokes and make sarcastic comments. Everything she did contrasted the expectations she first set.

She was strange. And although he didn’t realise, or would ever admit it, Daryl Dixon was arguably intrigued by the odd young woman that had stolen his tent. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

T-Dog gently nudged Rosalina with his foot as they came to a stop, making her start in surprise, her hat falling onto the floor. “C’mon, we’re here.”

“Yay.” She muttered sarcastically, snatching her hat up before jumping out of the truck, landing easily on her feet. Glancing around, she found that Glenn had guided Rick to the very edge of the city, meaning they had a fair amount of walking to do. She slid a knife out, holding it tightly in her left hand while her right rested on her sword, ready and prepared.

“You sure you can keep up?” Daryl taunted, strolling past her, a lazy smirk on his face.

Rosalina shot him a sickly smile, tilting her head. “I’ll try my best, but for a poor, tiny little woman like myself it may be a struggle to keep up with all these strong, tough men. Thank you for your concern, it means so much to me.”

With that, she began to jog towards the gate, the rest following behind her. Daryl rose his eyebrows, scoffing to himself before jogging behind them.

Upon reaching the main part of the city, Glenn took control of the group, taking the lead with Rosalina close on his heels, shooting taunting smiles at Daryl every time she turned. He was stuck at the back, his crossbow raised ready, glowering at Rosalina each time their eyes met. This only made her smile wider.

“Here.” Glenn whispered upon reaching the store, all five trying their hardest not to make any noise, worried about the attention they would attract. “We can use the side door again.”

Following behind him, the rescue group barged into the store, weapons raised and eyes flashing back and forth looking for any stray walkers. Daryl caught sight of one first, raising his bow and proclaiming loudly, “You are one ugly skank.”

His finger moved to pull the trigger, but before he could a knife was planted perfectly in the eye socket of the female walker. Everyone snapped to face Rosalina, who stood with a smirk, strolling over to the corpse and yanking out her knife, wiping it on her jeans before strapping it back to her thigh. 

Glancing over at Daryl, she gave him an innocent stare, pouting her lips. “Oh, I’m sorry, was that your kill? Try firing a little faster next time, darling, maybe you’ll be able to keep up.”

T-Dog snorted, wriggling uncomfortably under the harsh glare shot at him by Daryl. The redneck turned his anger back to Rosalina, coldly saying, “Lets just find my damn brother.”

He stormed past her, his shoulder barging into hers. She scoffed, murmuring to Glenn, “I’m just saying, I haven’t seen someone pull that move since I was in primary school.”

“Primary school?” He asked, confused.

Rosalina sighed, shaking her head with tired eyes. “Americans.” 

Together, they made their way up the stairs, Daryl taking the lead in front. Rick followed after him, holding Dale’s borrowed bolt cutters in one hand, ready to be used on the padlock that T-Dog had used to keep the walkers from reaching Merle. 

“Okay, I know I ought to be getting used to exercise,” Rosalina breathed, just as they reached the final flight of stairs, her heart banging. “But if I have to climb these damned stairs one more time, I will sit my arse down and make one of you carry me.”

Daryl looked over his shoulder, looking at Rosalina’s red cheeks with a smug face. “I thought you said you could keep up?”

Glaring up at him through her long black lashes, Rosalina pressed her lips together. Driven by his taunting, she began to jog up the last set of stairs, not bothering to look as she went passed him, her middle finger up, making Rick chuckle from where he stood.

At the top, she turned back, childishly sticking her tongue out and posing with her hand on her hip. “Stick that up your arse, Dixon.” 

“Oh, she called you by your last name,” T-Dog warned jokingly. “You’re really screwed now.”

“Someone gets it.” Rosalina smirked at Daryl as he reached her, catching sight of the small smile that threatened to pull up on the corner of his mouth. “I’d be careful if I were you, Dixon. You’re on shaky ground.”

“I’ll take my chances.” He replied quietly, shoving past her to the door. 

Rosalina raised her eyebrows, dropping down a few steps to stand next to Glenn, who was equally out of breath, “Did he just challenge me? I feel like that was a challenge.”

“Don’t.” Glenn warned, a mixture of exasperation and exhaustion in his face. “I really don’t want to deal with you and Daryl in all out war. I feel like it would end badly for me somehow.” 

“Aw, don’t worry sweetie, I’d protect you somehow.” She promised sweetly, laughing at his confused reaction at her nickname for him. “Don’t try and look into the nicknames I give, they rarely mean anything. If it’s complimentary it means I’ve taken a liking to you. So for now, sweetie, you’re in the clear from me.”

“Thanks?” Glenn replied uncertainly, giving her a confused look. 

Rosalina went to reply, but they suddenly heard a loud yell. Sharing a quick look, they raced up the last of the stairs, finding the door wide open. Running out onto the roof, they found Daryl kneeling in front of the pipe Merle had been handcuffed too. 

But there was no Merle in sight. Only an empty pair of handcuffs, a dried pile of blood and a dismembered hand, lying on the floor.


	3. To old friends

“No!” Daryl screamed. “No! No!”

Rosalina gasped, eyes wide and doleful. She didn’t know what to do, keeping close to Glenn as Daryl raged, watching the mourning brother carefully. She’d seen grief before, and she’d seen it become aggressive. If Daryl turned on any of them, she’d stop him first. 

As she had expected, he suddenly loaded his crossbow, spinning around and aiming at T-Dog. He had barely gotten his finger on the trigger before Rick’s gun was pointed at his head, both of Rosalina’s daggers drawn. Glenn watched tensely from the side.

“I won’t hesitate,” Rick warned, jaw set. “I don’t care if every walker in the city hears it.”

Gently, Rosalina spoke, jumping down off the platform she and Glenn had been stood on, landing a few feet away from Daryl, “You won’t achieve anything by shooting him, you know that. Just don’t.”

For a moment, it seemed as though Daryl would ignore both their warnings, his watery glare fixated on T-Dog, who simply stood with his hands raised, breathing heavily. But then, to their relief, he dropped his weapon, stumbling back with a quiet sniff. He blinked hard, forcing back tears, and both Rick and Rosalina felt confident enough to drop their weapons back down to their sides. “You got a do-rag or something?”

Daryl’s question was aimed at T-Dog, who cautiously reached into his pocket and handed it to him. Snatching it, Daryl advanced towards the severed hand, laying out the square of cloth flat on the floor and gingerly picking the hand up by one finger, wrapping it in the material. “I guess the blade was too dull for the handcuffs. Ain’t that a bitch?”

“Fucking hell.” Rosalina murmured, her voice low as she stared at the scene before her, grimacing. “I’d just let the walkers get to me.” 

Standing back up, Daryl gestured for Glenn to step closer, holding the wrapped hand uncertainly. Catching on to what he wanted, Rosalina stepped forward, carefully taking the hand from Daryl and apologetically zipping it into Glenn’s rucksack. Seeing the uncomfortable expression on his face, she muttered a quiet apology, Daryl beginning to venture his theories about Merle’s grisly escape. “He must’ve used a tourniquet. Maybe his belt.”

“He couldn’t have gone back the way we came, it was bolted.” Rosalina pointed out, approaching the bloodied tool and focusing on the splatters of blood on the floor. Her sharp eyes followed the trail, seeing the splotches leading to another side door. “He went this way, come on.”

Daryl followed her closely, raising his crossbow ready, Rick, T-Dog and Glenn trailing after them. “Even with a tourniquet, the blood loss would’ve been massive. He’d have to have done something to the wound to stop it. I can’t imagine he’d be in the frame of mind to search for bandages, so my best guess would be-”

“Cauterise it.” Daryl finished for her, killing a female walker that had been dragging itself up the stairs. They passed the body, Rosalina reaching down and yanking out the arrow, handing it back to the redneck. He grunted in response.

Reaching the bottom floor, Rosalina stepped over a dead walker, scrunching her nose up at the sight of blood all over the floor. But, based on the dark, almost rotten colour, she guessed it didn’t belong to Merle.

She almost tripped over another, lost in thought about how Merle had managed to take out a walker one handed, Rick grabbing ahold of her arm to keep her upright. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” He said, releasing her with a brief smile.

Proudly, Daryl looked between the two walkers, kicking the closest one. “Had enough in him to take these two son of a bitches, one handed. Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother. Feed him a hammer, he’d crap out nails.”

“Any man can pass out from blood loss, no matter out tough he is.” Rick pointed out realistically, edging forward through the room. 

Daryl stared at his back with a sour expression. Unable to help herself, Rosalina took a step toward him, dragging his attention over to her. “Hey, I don’t have any sort of liking to your brother, but he’s tougher than most people I know. And I work with some of the toughest people there is.”

“You?” Daryl scoffed, shaking his head.

From behind them, Glenn and T-Dog laughed, the former reminding Daryl, “She did interview Charles Manson. She worked with criminals for a living.”

“And I had their respect.” Rosalina added, cocking her head up. “Learn to take the compliment, love, and try not to reply with an insult.”

Side-stepping around him, Rosalina caught up to Rick, their eyes carefully watching the bloody trail Merle had left for them. “You think he’s still alive?”

“I think there’s a good chance he would keep himself alive just to spite us,” Rick admitted, smiling when Rosalina laughed softly. “I’d watch where you’re stepping. This amount of blood is bound to be attracting the walkers.”

“Good point,” She tightened the grip on her dagger, cautious eyes sliding over the surroundings. “Merle Dixon!”

Ramming past her, Daryl took the lead again, ignoring the fact that his approach had knocked Rosalina flying. With quick reflexes, Rick managed to catch her before she hit the floor, glaring at Daryl’s back as he set her back on her feet. “You alright?”

“I’m fine.” She assured him, flashing a sarcastic smile at Daryl’s figure. “If I can deal twenty boys ambushing me on my twelfth birthday with nerf guns, I can handle a little rough-handling from Legolas here.”

Under her breath, when Daryl began to yell for his brother like she had started to do moments before, she added quietly, “I like it rough anyway.”

Catching her comment, T-Dog let out a yell, eyes bulging as he stared at her. She giggled, raising a finger to her lips with a wink, returning her focus to the mission. The man behind her shook his head, shuddering before walking on. 

Sniffing the air, Rosalina furrowed her brow. “Gas. Can anybody else smell that?”

Murmurs of ‘no’ replied to her, with the exception of Daryl. “She’s right, someone’s left the gas on.”

Stepping into a narrow room, the group found themselves staring at a blue cooker flame. All over the cooker, blood dripped down the metal surface, and there were blackened pieces of skin scattered over the top. Rosalina held back a gag while Glenn questioned, “What’s all the burnt stuff?”

“Skin.” She replied, almost apologetic with her bluntness. “I was right, he had to cauterise the stump. Fuck.”

“Told you he’s tough.” Daryl said, Rosalina nodding.

“I didn’t disagree.” She reminded him softly, turning to Glenn, seeing that he was blinking quickly and turned away from the horror scene of the cooker. “You okay, sweetie?”

Hearing the nickname, Daryl frowned, looking confusedly between the younger two. 

Glenn nodded, lips pressed tightly together. “Fine.”

“Are you sure? We can-” Rosalina was cut off, Daryl talking over her loudly, much to her annoyance.

“Nobody can kill Merle but Merle!” He boasted, pretending not to see the narrow-eyed glower shot at him by the green-haired girl. “He even busted out of this death trap.”

He gestured to the broken window a few feet away, walking towards it with the rest trailing after him. “He left? Why the hell would he do that?”

“Why wouldn’t he?” Daryl responded, looking through the broken pane. “He’s out there alone as far as he knows, doing what he’s gotta do.”

T-Dog shook his head in disagreement. “You call that surviving? Just wandered out in the streets, maybe passing out? What are his odds out there?”

Rising to the challenge, Daryl clenched his teeth, jutting his head up. “No worse than being handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks.”

He walked around them, glaring around before stopping in front of Rick. “You couldn’t kill him. I ain’t so worried about one dead bastard.”

“What about a thousand dead bastards?” Rick challenged.

“I’m going to get him.” He moved to step around Rick, but his hand came up to push on Daryl’s chest, keeping him in place.

“Daryl, wait!” Immediately, he snarled.

“Get your hands off me! You can’t stop me!”

Rosalina nudged Glenn, the pair glancing at each other with equally exhausted expressions. “I don't blame you. He’s family, I get that. I went through hell to find mine. I know exactly how you feel. He can’t get far with that injury. We could help you check a few blocks around, but only if we keep a level head.”

Tensed, Daryl agreed through gritted teeth. “I can do that.”

Satisfied, Rick turned to look at the three spectators. Immediately, T-Dog shook his head. “Nu-uh. Not unless we get those guns first. I’m not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, okay?”

“And I’d like to get a tent before we leave the building,” Rosalina spoke up, raising her hand like a child speaking in class. “I don’t mean to be selfish, but that was one of my main reasons for being here, and I don’t plan to sleep on the ground tonight.”

“Alright, fine.” Rick agreed, nodding. “Scout out the store, see what you can find, then we regroup here and decide on a plan to get the bag. But take someone with you, I don’t want anyone going off alone.”

“C’mon, sweetie, you’re on babysitting duties.” Rosalina decided, pulling on Glenn’s arm. “Lets go find my accommodation for the night.” 

Muttering complaints, Glenn allowed himself to be whisked away by the woman, casting a tired look back at the group before he went. T-Dog snorted, stating jokingly, “Boy’s whipped.”

“Gobby and the Chinese kid are a thing?” Daryl asked, his tone uncaring but his eyes darting up to watch T-Dog curiously, scanning him.

“Doubt it. They only met yesterday.” Rick answered for him, leaning back against. counter. “She certainly seems to have an impact on everyone though. Carl was talking about her for most of the night. Even tried to wake her up this morning with his friends before Lori stopped him. Never seen him so interested in someone since his third grade teacher.”

“Aw, kid got a crush?” T-Dog joked, earning a chuckle from Rick. 

“Don’t think so.” He replied, shaking his head. “She’s just interesting. You must’ve noticed how quiet everything was when she left last night. She’s a character, that much is certain.”

“You’re not wrong.” Daryl scoffed, sliding down onto the floor with his crossbow in his hands and his back pressed up against the cooker. “She’s got a hell of a mouth on her.”

The men nodded, falling into awkward silicon for a few moments before T-Dog ventured the question, “Do you think she’s telling the truth? About her job and her age and all of that? Doesn’t it all sound a bit far-fetched to you?”

“Don’t know anything about it.” Daryl shrugged, listening closely as T-Dog explained.

“She said she’s some forensic psychologist, a good one. But she’s only twenty-three.” T-Dog scrunched his forehead together. “I don’t know, it just sounds kinda ridiculous to me.”

“I believe her.” Rick disagreed determinedly, surprising the other two. “Something about the way she told us, it just strikes me as purely honest. She seems trustworthy enough, so I’ll believe her until she gives me a reason not to.”

“Fair enough.” T-Dog nodded. 

Ten minutes passed before Rosalina and Glenn bounded through the door again, breathing heavily but wide grins on their faces. “Hey!”

“What happened to you two?” Rick questioned them, furrowing his brow as he looked between them. On her back, Rosalina had a tent packed up into a long bag, but there was also a wide, heavy-looking bag swinging on her shoulder. Glenn seemed to be stooping forward slightly, suggesting something heavy had been stashed in the rucksack on his back. “What’s in the bag?”

“Books and vinyl!” She exclaimed excitedly, lit up with happiness. “We went to the store next door cause this one is useless, and it had everything! Books, vinyl and even a battery operated record player! It’s only a seven inch so Glenn agreed to put it in his bag, and then we hoarded all the batteries we could find! Plus it has a headphone jack so it won’t be loud or anything!”

“Rose thought it would be good for the kids to have something to call their own as they aren’t exactly surrounded by luxuries anymore.” Glenn added, seeing the disapproving expression on Rick’s face. 

“She picked up as much variety as she could, and even snatched some children’s books.”

“And some text-books!” She interjected, almost childishly proud. “I know Lori and Carol collected some too, but I thought these might keep them going for a little longer. And, I still want to expand on my own studies so I grabbed one or two for myself. I just thought the group might want to have some distractions away from what’s going on.”

Unable to help himself, Rick sighed, giving them a small smile. “It’s a good idea, but probably not the best one to put into action right now. We still need to search for Merle, and you guys are going to struggle if you need to run with all that dragging you down.”

“That’s why we’re out of breath,” Rosalina explained, Glenn nodding along. “We were making sure we could still run with the extra weight. I had to ditch a few books along the way, but otherwise we were fine!” 

Rick still looked uncertain, scratching the nape of his neck. Sensing his hesitation, Rosalina added, “C’mon, Rick, Carl and Sophia could really benefit from these. They’re not young enough to keep amused by their own games, you know that. At least with music and books they might be able to have a little fun. I think they deserve that, don’t you?”

From where he sat on the floor, Daryl narrowed his eyes as he looked up at Rosalina, listening to the way she manipulated Rick. She knew exactly what to say, and how to word it, to get the man to agree with her idea. She was smart. “Fine, keep your bounty. But the first sign of trouble, if you’re struggling, I want you to ditch them. Your lives are worth more than a few books and vinyl.”

“Thank you!” Rosalina exclaimed, grinning widely at him like a child on Christmas Day. Rick smiled, rolling his eyes before continuing with the mission at hand.

“We need a plan.” He announced.

Dropping his rucksack on the floor carefully, Glenn said, “I should go. I know the streets better than all of you.”

“You’re not doing this alone.” Rick disagreed, the others nodding in agreement.

Daryl added, “Even I think it’s a bad idea, and I don’t even like you much.”

Snorting, Rosalina joked with a sarcastic smile to the man, “Always a charmer.”

Ignoring their exchange, Glenn started to argue his case, “It’s a good idea, okay? If you just hear me out. If we go out there in a group, we’re slow, drawing attention. If I’m alone, I can move fast. Look,”

His reached his hand into the rucksack, producing a black marker pen, starting to draw out the layout of the city on the floor, drawing squares for the buildings. Rosalina watched curiously, confused as to how he he was able to map out the city so easily. 

Finishing, he pulled out another marker, setting it in-between two buildings. “That’s the tank, five blocks from where we are now. That’s the bag of guns.”

He placed a scrunched up sticky note in front of the ‘tank’, pointing to a street to the side of the gun bag. “Here’s the alley I dragged you into when we first met. That’s where Daryl, Rose and I will go.”

“Why us?” Daryl questioned him sharply.

“Your crossbow and Rose’s swords are quieter than his gun.” He gestured to Rick. “While Daryl and Rose wait here in the alley, I run up the street, grab the bag.”

“Where are the General and T-Dog parking up?” Rosalina asked, gesturing to the two men on either side of her.

“They’ll be in this alley here.”

Seeing where he was pointing too, which was two blocks away from the main action, Rosalina nodded, saying, “Your backup plan. If you can’t get back to us, you’ll go to them for cover.”

“Exactly,” He seemed impressed that she had caught on, a small smile catching on his mouth at Rosalina’s smirk. “Afterwards, we’ll all meet back here.”

The group stared at him and the map below them in silence, Daryl finally venturing the question, “Hey kid. What’d you do before all this?”

“Delivered pizzas,” Glenn answered, looking at the redneck confusedly. “Why?”

Over his head, the group exchanged humoured looks, the answer to Glenn’s extensive knowledge of the city explained. From what she crouched, Rosalina giggled, saying kindly to the perplexed Glenn, “Sweetie, delivering pizzas has genuinely saved lives.”

With the exception of Glenn, who glanced down bashfully, the group chuckled. “Let’s go.”

Glenn led the way, him, Daryl and Rick splitting off from Rick and T-Dog to follow the path that had led Rosalina to the odd group. They climbed down the same yellow ladder as before, Glenn going down first, followed by Daryl, Rosalina starting down after him.

As he climbed, Daryl glanced up, finding himself with the perfect view of Rosalina’s behind. He smirked, raising one eyebrow, only for the smug look on his face to be wiped off when Rosalina called down, glancing over her shoulder at him, “Stop staring at my arse, Dixon. You’ll make Glenn uncomfortable.”

He grumbled under his breath, irritated by the quiet laughing he could hear from above his head when he ducked his gaze back down to the ladder. He joined Glenn on the floor, Rosalina jumping off a few rungs above the ground, landing on her feet with cat-like grace. 

“C’mon.” Glenn coaxed, hurrying down the street. Rosalina and Daryl exchanged a look before he gestured forward with his bow, silently ordering her to go in front of him. She rolled her eyes, quietly following after Glenn with her daggers drawn and ready. 

Together, they reached the end of the alley, crouching behind a dustbin. Daryl loaded his crossbow, remarking to Glenn, “You got some balls for a Chinaman.”

“I’m Korean.” He replied despondently, catching Rosalina’s smirk at his reply in the corner of his eye. 

“Good luck.” She muttered, patting his shoulder quickly. He gave her a grim look of thanks, before darting away from the alley, disappearing from their sight. 

Unable to see him, Rosalina tensed, edging forward to glance around the side of the wall. But Daryl’s hand shot out, wrapping around her wrist and yanking her back with a shake of his head. “You’ll just draw attention to us, don’t.”

Tugging her arm out of his grip, Rosalina shot him a dirty look, sighing when she realised he was right. Pressing her back against the wall, she kept crouched down, the narrow gap between the two dustbins meaning her leg was pressed against Daryl’s knee. She tried to ignore the warm pressure against her leg, wriggling closer against the sides to try and escape it.

Then, hearing a quiet footsteps approaching them, Daryl and Rosalina glanced to one another. Raising his finger to his lips, Daryl drew his crossbow, spinning around and aiming it at the owner of the footsteps.

Following his movements, Rosalina stood poised at his side, her daggers clenched in her hands on either side of her body. She found herself face to face with a young boy, no more than eighteen maximum, with a buzzed haircut, gold chain around his neck and a grubby white vest-top. Seeing them, he rose his hands in a surrounding manner. “Whoa, don’t shoot! Or stab me! What do you want?”

“Looking for my brother,” Daryl advanced forward threateningly, circling around the boy so that he and Rosalina covered both exits he could take. “He’s hurt real bad, you seen him?”

Suddenly, the boy yelled out loudly in what Rosalina thought was Spanish. Warningly, Rosalina pressed the tip of her dagger against his back, making him spin around to face her in fear. “Keep your mouth shut before you bring the walkers down on all of us. Answer him!”

He stood caught, like a deer in headlights, glancing back and forth between the pointed blades and Rosalina’s narrow glare. From where he stood, Daryl rose his eyebrows, impressed by the display. 

Then, the boy yelled out again, louder this time. 

Flipping her dagger around so that she caught the blade, Rosalina butted the handle against his head harshly, knocking him to the ground. Daryl crouched down, trying to cover the screaming boy’s mouth, jabbing his crossbow in his face.

Turning sharply, Rosalina prepared herself when she saw two large men running towards them. Kicking up above her head, she hit the jaw of one of them, sending him sprawling onto the floor. But the action left her vulnerable to the other men, who grabbed ahold of her leg as she began to lower it, twisting so that she was flipped round onto the floor, holding back a pained scream. He ran around her, kicking Daryl away from the boy and beginning to pelt him with a long metal pipe. 

The other man forced himself onto his feet, keeping Rosalina trapped on the floor as he began his own assault on her body with a pipe, catching the bone of her hip painfully. Rosalina let out a scream, writhing on the floor, kicking out at the man. He stumbled back, giving her the opportunity to shakily stand, clenching her fist and driving it into his nose, hearing a sickening snap. Blood poured like a fountain, knocking the man away from her as he howled in pain. 

Unsteadily, she ran to Daryl, jumping on the back of the man assaulting him and tugging him away, biting and scratching him viciously, tugging on his neck. Her long nails broke from the force she was pressing against his skin, but she didn’t care. The man yowled, driving himself and Rosalina backwards so that she was slammed against the wall, her head slamming against it with force. She winced, but didn’t stop her attack, not until the man ran forwards, forcibly flinging her from his back and sending her flying down the alley, landing with a thump a few meters away, the man immediately going back to beating the barely conscious Daryl. His furious and bloodied partner joined him. 

At the top of the alley, Glenn appeared with the weapons bag on his shoulder, seeing the carnage that was unfolding. His panicked gaze slipped passed Daryl, seeing the crumpled body of Rosalina unmoving on the floor, her face covered by her green hair. 

“That’s the bag, Vato, take it!” One of the men yelled, seeing Glenn had returned. As both men started to run at him, Glenn turned to flee, only to be knocked down by the man with a bloody nose. 

They ruthlessly began to attack him, and hearing the younger man’s screams, Daryl forced himself to sit up, badly bruised and bleeding from the assault on him. Aiming shakily, he fired an arrow directly into one of the men’s behinds, drawing a loud, pained yell from him. 

Abandoning the bag, the other man wrapped his arms around Glenn’s neck, dragging the struggling boy away. The kidnappers escaped out of the alley, a car driving up and the doors swinging open for them.

“Daryl!” Glenn screamed, spurring the redneck into action. He ran forward, trying to reach the Korean boy only for the car door to slam closed, driving away a break-neck speed. “Rose! Daryl!”

“Come back here, you sons of bitches!” Daryl yelled furiously, slamming his fists down onto the chained gate that closed the alley off from the street. Seeing the walkers starting to gather, drawn by the noise, he yanked the gate shut.

Turning, he looked to Rosalina’s unmoving body, sprinting back down the alley to where she lay. Kneeling down, he carefully turned her over, seeing the blood dripping down from her forehead down her face. He breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of her chest slowly rising and falling, gently shaking her. “Rose? Rose!”

She didn’t react, and he growled furiously. Jumping up, he rounded on the hispanic boy that still lay terrified on the floor, yanking him up and tossing him against the wall.

From the end of the alley, Rick and T-Dog ran up, the yelling having drawn their attention. “Whoa, whoa, whoa!”

Rick pushed Daryl away from the boy, while T-Dog came to kneel down next to Rosalina, carefully checking the back of her head for any bleeding. 

Fuming, Daryl shoved against Rick, snarling at the boy, “I’m gonna kick your nuts up your throat!”

“What’s going on?” Rick demanded, still pushing against Daryl’s chest.

With a red-face, Daryl yelled, “They took Glenn! Him and his little friends, who beat up Rose! I’m gonna stomp your ass!”

“Guys, guys!” T-Dog called, running forward and stopping the boy from running, leaving Rosalina lying on her back on the ground. Her arm lay limply across her stomach, the other spread across the ground, head lolling to the side. “We’re cut off!”

“Get to the ladder, go!” Rick ordered, casting a nervous look to the walkers that began to stumble towards them from the unguarded side of the alley. Grabbing the weapons bag, and his sheriff hat that Glenn had snatched back for him from the side of the tank, he looked to Daryl. “Can you take Rose?”

“I got her.” Running to her, Daryl pulled her over his shoulder with surprising carefulness, holding onto her legs and jogging to the ladder. He stopped, grimacing before running back and snatching up her daggers and the bag she had flung to the floor when the fight began, sheathing her daggers onto her back and swinging the bag onto his shoulder.

T-Dog forced the boy up the ladder first, following after him quickly. Daryl went next, struggling with the added weight of Rosalina and her equipment, but managed to climb. Rick pulled up the rear, the bag of guns pressed against his side. 

Once back inside the building, T-Dog shoved the boy onto the floor, standing threateningly before him. Daryl laid Rosalina on the floor gently, standing in front of her and blocking her from the view of the boy, who Rick had knelt down in front of. “Those men you were with, we need to know where they went.”

“I ain’t telling you nothing.” The hostage spat back, with more bravery than his frightened eyes showed. He kept glancing over to Rosalina, with an almost guilty flicker in his eyes, her blood stained face visible through Daryl’s legs. 

T-Dog, sweating from the effort of running back and forth, moved to take a seat next to Daryl and Rosalina. “Jesus, man, what the hell happened back there?”

“Told you. This little turd and his douchebag friends aces out of nowhere and jumped us.” Daryl snarled. “Went for Rose first, then came at me.”

“Man, you’re the ones who jumped me, puta.” He swore in Spanish, none of them knowing the translation, but able to make a rough guess. “Screaming about trying to find his brother like it’s my damn fault.”

“They took Glenn. Could’ve taken Merle too.” Daryl suggested, beginning to pace back and forth angrily. 

The boy, growing cocky with the protection of Rick from the raging Daryl, scoffed, “Merle? What kind of a hick name is that? Wouldn’t name my dog Merle.”

The insult succeeded in riling Daryl up, and he lunged forward with his fist raised, Rick just managing to catch him and shove him away. “Back off!”

Breathing heavily, Daryl glowered darkly at Rick. Before he could react, however, the attention of the room was diverted to Rosalina, who let out a loud gasp of breath. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, squinting as her blurry vision focused, raising one hand to wipe the blood out of her eye. “I’m getting fucking sick of getting thrown into walls. It’s becoming a bad habit.”

“You okay?” Rick asked, crossing the room to kneel down beside her, one hand on the small of the back and the other on her arm, helping her to sit up. She leant against the table behind her, scrunching her eyes closed and opening them wide again, a throbbing pain aching throughout her body. 

“Ask me again in two to three business days.” She replied sarcastically, taking in the room around her. “Where’s Glenn?”

“This guy’s scumbag friends took him.” Daryl spat out in reply, shoving the boy’s shoulder. 

Rosalina stared at the boy, seeing how his expression became pleading when he looked to her, tense at the sight of Daryl standing over him. Out of the corner of her mouth, she murmured to Rick, “I need you to trust me for a few minutes.”

Ignoring his confusion, she shakily rose, stumbling over to Daryl. “Leave him alone, please. He’s only only kid!”

The man stared down at her in shock, dumbfounded by the wink she shot him before turning sympathetically to the younger boy, kneeling down in front of him. “Hi, sweetheart. Look, I’m really sorry for how all of this has turned out, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he replied, jutting his head in the direction of Daryl. “He keeps threatening me though.”

Rosalina faked a frightened look, glancing over at Daryl. “I wish I could help, but I’m not putting myself in that position. This guy’s lost his temper with me twice in the past two days and look where it’s gotten me. A black eye, bruised back and a bad headache. He’s got temper issues, clearly.”

“Oi!” Daryl shouted, pulling Rosalina back by her shoulder. He barely touched her, but she flew back across the floor, looking up at him fearfully. Daryl was taken aback, freezing in place. 

“I’m sorry.” Her lip trembled, eyes watering. “Please don’t hurt me. Or him! He doesn’t deserve to have the same treatment as that poor man yesterday.”

“What’re you talking about?” Daryl demanded, not catching on to her performance. 

Unsteadily, Rosalina rose, pulling Glenn’s rucksack open and pulling out the clothed hand. She unwrapped it, thrusting it at Daryl. “This! Please, don’t make me watch you do this sort of medieval torture again!”

Finally, the redneck caught on, surprised but impressed by Rosalina’s plan. Snatching the hand, Daryl slammed it down into the terrified boy’s lap, making him jump away and land in a heap on the floor a few feet away. “See what happened to the last person who annoyed me?”

He grabbed ahold of the boy’s vest top, forcing him upright, growling animalistic-ally in his face. “I’ll start with the feet this time!”

Rick rushed over, pulling Daryl away, shoving him over to where Rosalina stood watching ‘fearfully’. Then, Rick began his ‘good cop’ routine. “The men you were with took our friend. All we wanna do is talk to them, see if we can work something out.”

Seeing he was almost convinced, Rosalina stepped forward, adding pleadingly, her arms wrapped around herself protectively. “Please. We just want our friend back.”

Finally, he broke.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Walking up to the kidnappers’ base, Rosalina walked side by side with Daryl, under the orders of Rick. Originally, the plan had been to leave her at the store, away from the action because he didn’t trust she was ready for a fight. In all honesty, he was right, as her hands still shook when she raised them and she couldn’t twist her head without falling under a dizzy spell and having to lean on someone.

But her stubbornness prevailed, and eventually Rick had given in, as long as she swore to remain at either his or Daryl’s side the whole time. 

“That was smart, making him afraid of me,” Daryl muttered to her, his eyes on the ground. In front of them, their hostage stumbled, Daryl’s arrow trained on his back. “How’d you think of it?”

“Thanks, and it was simple really.” She admitted, shrugging with a smile. “The way he looked at me, because I was a woman, it reminded me of people’s general perspectives of the world. He thought I’d be kinder than the rest of you because women are generally viewed as more empathetic. And usually weaker also. And he was terrified of you already, but he needed a push. I used his own gender stereotypes against him.”

Daryl whistled, shaking his head. “I don’t think I’d want you as a shrink if you’re that manipulative.”

“I can get into anyone’s head, whether they want me to or not,” Rosalina warned light-heartedly, her boasting without any sign of big-headedness. “It’s what I’ve been trained to do. Besides it’s fun.”

Winking at him, she sped up, walking in-between Rick and T-Dog. “Ready, boys?”

“Think so.” T-Dog replied uncertainly, staring at the brick walls they were approaching. “Where do you want me?”

“Get up on that far wall.” Rick ordered, pointing to the wall a few feet away from them. “Take the bag too. We don’t want to be showing up with it for them to snatch.”

T-Dog didn’t respond, wordlessly taking the bag and jogging around to climb up into the side building, ready for the other three’s confrontation with Glenn’s kidnappers. 

Rick came to a stop in front of a wall, gently pulling Rosalina down to crouch behind it with him, out of sight of the large wooden door in the courtyard. Daryl shoved the boy down next to them, crouching on Rosalina’s left side, glancing to see her leaning heavily against the wall for support. “If you run, you get an arrow in your ass, just so you know.”

“G’s gonna take the arrow out my ass and shove it up your’s, just so you know.” His attempt at sounding confident failed, the break in his voice clear to all of them. 

“G?” Rosalina asked softly, still playing the game of the victim.

He looked at her, tough gaze softened by her kind eyes. “Guillermo. He’s the man here.” 

She smiled sweetly at him, speaking quietly in reply. “Oh, okay then. I guess we ought to go meet him.”

Her innocent, victim-like facade was beginning to irritate Daryl, shown by how his glare on the boy hardened. “Yeah, lets go.”

Standing up, Rick led the way, Daryl and Rosalina following with the hostage positioned in front of them. Entering the courtyard, their weapons raised, they came to stand in front of the tall wooden doors Rosalina had noticed earlier. 

They quickly slid open, one man stepping out of the darkness to meet them. He had dark, tanned skin and a dark goatee. He wore the same style necklace around his neck as the boy they held hostage, only his was silver, and half covered by an open blue and white striped shirt. “You okay, little man?”

“They were gonna cut my feet off.” The boy informed him fearfully, quickly speaking Spanish that Rosalina couldn’t understand. 

Glancing at Rick’s outfit, Guillermo inquired, “Cops do that?”

“Not him,” He shook his head, gesturing to Daryl. “This redneck puta here. The girl tried to stop him and he hit her. He cut off some guy’s hand, man, he showed it to me.”

Guillermo looked from his group member to Daryl and Rosalina, seeing the bloodied and battered appearance of the girl. Seemingly concerned, he called to her, “You okay, miss?”

Stepping in front of her, Daryl jabbed his crossbow forward, missing the exasperated glower Rosalina shot the back of his head. “She’s fine.”

“That’s that one, right there.” From the base, another man stepped out, the same one whose nose Rosalina had savagely broken and Daryl had skilfully shot. “He shot me in the ass with an arrow, man. And she’s the bitch who broke my nose.”

Furious, he rose his gun towards them, Rosalina stepping back out and pulling out her long-sword. But then Guillermo put his hand on his man’s arm, lowering his gun. “Chill. I see you’re not so much the victim after all.”

“Not so much.” She smirked, focusing all her effort on keeping still and stopping her arms from shaking. 

“So it’s true?” Guillermo aimed his question to Rick, but his eyes skated back over to Rosalina. “He wants Miguel’s feet. That’s pretty sick, man.”

“We were hoping more for a calm discussion.” Avoiding the question, Rick continued to play the reasonable one.

“We’re not interested in anyone’s feet, just our friend.” Rosalina added, moving from Daryl’s side to Rick’s, trying to impose her own control over the situation and seeming to succeed. 

“That hillbilly jumps on Felipe’s little cousin, beats on him, Felipe gets an arrow in the ass and a broken nose from your girl, and you want a calm discussion about your friend. You fascinate me.” Guillermo informed them.

“Both groups caused trouble for one another.” Rosalina cut Rick off as he went to speak, lowering her sword, showing to the man that she wasn’t here to threaten. Not yet anyway. “Neither of us are innocent in this issue, but both of us can resolve it.”

Guillermo blatantly ignored her words, pressing on to ask with a nod to Daryl, “Who’s that dude to you anyway? You don’t look related, any of you.”

“A member of our group.” Rick replied, at the same time as Rosalina said, “The dickhead who threw me into an RV.”

Glancing over her shoulder, she laughed at Daryl’s glare, Guillermo snorting himself. 

Returning his attention to Guillermo with one last narrow-eyed glare at Rosalina, Daryl asked, “You got my brother in there?”

“Sorry, fresh out of white boys.” Guillermo told him with a shrug. “But I got an asian. Interested?”

“We have one of yours,” Rosalina started, nodding her head to Miguel. “You’re got one of ours. Seems like a fair deal.”

“Doesn’t sound fair to me.” He disagreed. 

Fearful, Miguel pleaded with him. “G, c’mon man.”

“My people got attacked,” Guillermo continued, lazily gesturing to Felipe and his busted nose. “Where’s the compensation for their pain and suffering? More to the point, where's my bag of guns?”

Turning to Daryl, outraged, Rosalina scoffed, tapping her head. “Their pain and suffering? I’ve got a fucking bongo concert going on up here but they’re the ones suffering.”

Grabbing ahold of her arm, Daryl yanked her back stand with him, muttering warningly under the watchful eyes of the surrounding group, “Just keep your mouth shut for five more minutes.”

“You’re one to talk.” She muttered pointedly, but at the sharp nudge he gave to her ribs, she shut up.

“You’re mistaken,” Rick said, silently praying for Rosalina to keep her mouth closed. “That ain’t your bag of guns.”

Shrugging, Guillermo pressed his lips together, holding his hands together casually in front of him. “The bag was in the street. Anybody could come around and say it was theirs. I’m supposed to take your word? What’s to stop my people unloading on you right here and now, and I take what’s mine?”

At his words, more men appeared from out of the base, all extremely muscular and wielding guns which they pointed at the group. Daryl jutted his crossbow out, Rick’s gun aiming at one of the men closest to him. Rosalina sheathed her sword again, instead pulling out her gun in one swift movement, pointing at Felipe when she saw his gun trained on her particularly. 

Luckily, Rick was prepared for the situation. “You could do that. Or not.”

He turned, taking Guillermo’s attention to where T-Dog was crouching with a gun trained on Guillermo, ready to take the necessary shot. At the sight, Guillermo sighed, calling back. “Oye!”

Rosalina looked up, seeing two men leading a struggling Glenn to the side of the roof top, his head covered with a bag. One of the men removed it, revealing the clammy face of Glenn, his mouth covered by duct tape. Her teeth clenched together.

“I see two options,” Guillermo stated. “You come back with Miguel and my bag of guns, everybody walks free. Or you come back locked and loaded. We’ll see which side spills more blood.”

He began to step back, a smug smirk on his face, contrasting the grim expressions etched across the opposite group’s faces. They waited until the doors were shut before beginning to back away, refusing to turn their backs until they were past the final walls of the courtyard, Rosalina muttering a quiet, “Pain and suffering. Pussies.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Them guns are worth more than gold.” Daryl pointed out, strolling back and forth in front of Rick as he peered over the bag. “Gold won’t protect your family, put food on the table. You’re willing to give that up for that kid?”

“Glenn,” Rosalina corrected, calling across from where she lay back on the table, her eyes closed. Her headache was only growing worse, and she reminisced fondly to the time of aspirin. “Not ‘that kid’. Glenn.”

“If I knew we might get Glenn back, I might agree.” Rick replied to Daryl, putting empathises on Glenn’s name for Rosalina’s sake, loading his gun with a fresh set of rounds. 

“What, you think that Vato across the way is just gonna hand him over?” T-Dog asked, disbelievingly. 

Beside him, Miguel challenged, “You calling G a liar?”

“You part of this?” Daryl yelled harshly, casting a glance over to Rosalina when she winced at the sudden noise. He lowered his voice, instead slapping Miguel’s head to show his threat. “You wanna hold onto your teeth?”

Watching the display, T-Dog turned his head back to Rick, solemn. “Question is, do you trust that man’s word?”

“No, question is what you’re willing to bet on it.” Daryl disagreed. “Could be more than guns. Could be your life. Glenn worth that to you?”

Rick gave him a long hard look, strapping a gun to the holster at his side. “The life I have, I owe to him. I was nobody to Glenn, just some idiot stuck in a tank. He could’ve walked away, but he didn’t. Neither will I.”

Sitting up with a groan, Rosalina rubbed her eyes, clearing her throat before speaking. “He saved me too. I mean, I didn’t need saving, but he still wanted to help me. Hell, I might’ve been walker chow if he hadn’t reached out and grabbed ahold of me. I sure as hell wouldn’t be sat here with the prospect of somewhere to return tonight when we get this shit over with. If I can save him, I will.”

Gratefully, Rick nodded to her, but Daryl just pressed on with his own argument. “So what, you gonna hand the guns over?”

“I didn’t say that.” Rosalina grinned at Rick’s response. “There's nothing keeping you two here. You should get out, head back to camp.”

“Yeah, and tell you family what?” T-Dog pointed out, rubbing his head tiredly. “Tell those kids who’re waiting for you to show off your knives, what?”

T-Dog’s decision was clear, leaving Rosalina and Rick to look to Daryl to hear his choice. He looked between them, eyes flickering to the blood staining Rosalina’s pale skin. Grimly, he nodded, refusing to look at Rosalina’s smile, instead snatching a gun from the table. 

From his corner, Miguel cried out. “Come on, this is nuts! Just...just do what G says.”

They ignored him, loading their ammo up. Rosalina pushed herself off the table, sliding past Daryl to reach the table. Her slim hands picked out two handguns, loading them up determinedly. “Lets go get these fuckers.”

The wasted no time getting ready, and soon Daryl was leading a gagged Miguel with a rifle on his back through the courtyard. T-Dog stood on his left, Rick on his right and Rosalina between them in the middle, right behind Daryl.

When they reached them, the doors opened, Daryl shoving Miguel inside first, then the rest warily following him in. 

It reminded Rosalina of a car workshop, with open vents over-head and work stations positioned all around them. It was dark, dimly lit by swinging lights, but that didn’t stop any of the group seeing the many men who surrounded them. She sniffed the air, coughing at the strong smell of oil and petrol that she was met with. 

Perhaps her comparison to a car workshop was correct. 

Guillermo stepped out, his eyes hard and jaw set. “I see my guns, but they’re not all in the bag.”

“That’s because they’re not yours.” Rick replied, stepping forward and training his gun on Guillermo. 

While they conversed, Rosalina’s eyes trailed over the group, coming to a sudden stop on one familiar figure. Her mouth dropped open, unable to stop herself from calling out to the curly haired man who’d yet to notice her. “Julio!”

He jumped, staring at her bug-eyed. “Rose?”

“What the hell are you doing here?” She asked, dropping her weapon, giving him a friendly, slightly astonished smile. The two familiars approached one another, forgetting the tense situation around them, hugging briefly, Rosalina pressing a kiss to each of his cheeks. 

“I could ask you the same. I thought you were flying back that night?” Julio released her, stepping back to look at her bruised and bloody body. “Bet you wish you’d left when you had the chance now, huh?”

“Just a bit.” She laughed casually, each still holding onto one another’s arms. “My flight got cancelled, and I guess I know why now. What happened to you though?”

“You wouldn’t even believe.” He muttered, shaking his head. “I got out of-”

“What the hell is going on?” T-Dog demanded, staring confusedly between Rosalina and Julio. “You know him?”

“You know her?” Guillermo reiterated to Julio, who shrugged, shifting uncomfortably under the attention. Seeing this, Rosalina took charge, smiling.

“Julio worked as one of the guards in the prison I was working in when I came over.” She explained, taking his hand and squeezing it encouragingly. “He used to bring me coffee at the end of the day while I waited for my car to be brought round to me.”

“And she used to bring me biscuits every morning as a thank you for the coffee from the day before.” The ex-guard laughed, his hair shaking when his head tilted forward. “Then one day when you didn’t come in, you had them shipped to me. The whole guard block feasted on those for two days you sent so god damn many!”

“Hey, I accidentally tipped coffee over you, I needed to apologise!” Rosalina defended, but she too was laughing.

Their casual, reminiscent conversation was out of place in the tense atmosphere that surrounded them. Guillermo and Rick exchanged a long look, both considering how the suddenly revealed friendship changed the situation at hand. Nobody’s weapons lowered, however, although Daryl’s bow moved to point at Julio, his hand still in Rosalina’s. 

Rick opened his mouth to speak, but he was stopped by a woman's voice calling out, “Felipe!”

All eyes turned, seeing a wrinkled, grey-haired woman dressed in an oversized white dressing gown enter the room, slowly making her way through the armed men. “Abuela, go back with the others! Now!”

“Get the old lady out of the line of fire.” Daryl ordered, his gun raised. Rosalina scoffed, striding across to him and forcibly lowering his weapon.

“For gods sake, do not shoot her.” She hissed under her breath, holding his intense glare. They stayed glowering at each other, Daryl finally pulling back, keeping his gun at his side. She nodded approvingly. 

“Abuela,” Guillermo called back, casting a surprisingly grateful look to Rosalina as he did. “Listen to your mijo, okay? This is not the place for you right now.”

But the old lady persisted, tugging on Felipe’s arm insistently. “Mr Gilbert is having trouble breathing. He needs his asthma stuff. Carlito can’t find it. He needs his medicine.”

When the woman’s gaze turned to Rick, he lowered his weapon. “Who are those men?”

She started forward, taking in Rick’s appearance and outfit-more specifically, his sheriff hat and badge. “Don’t you take him. Felipe’s a good boy. He has his troubles, but he’ll pull himself together. We need him here.”

“Ma’am,” Rick started, keeping up her assumption that he was still an officer. “I’m not here to arrest your grandson.”

“Then what do you want him for?” She asked softly.

Rosalina stepped forward, resting one hand delicately on the older’s lady’s arm, turning her attention to the green haired woman. “They’re helping us, ma’am. We’re looking for a man named Glenn.”

“The asian boy? He’s with Mr Gilbert.” Felipe’s grandmother innocently told them, Rick sharing a look with Daryl over Rosalina’s head. “Come, come. I show you.”

Taking Rosalina’s hand, she began to lead the girl through the crowd, Rosalina turning back to gesture Rick, Daryl and T-Dog to follow her. They did so warily, aiming their weapons around warningly at the men around them, ready for a fight. But they let them past, Guillermo and Felipe following behind them. 

The woman led them out of the building, up a set of stairs and through into another courtyard. Rosalina found herself looking up at a much cleaner building than the one they had left, allowing herself to be led up the stairs and through the doors, making sure the others were behind her as she did.

Inside, there was a strong smell of disinfectant, reminding her of a hospital, but the homely aspects of the carpet on the floor and the chairs in the hallway made it clear it was no hospital. Glancing into rooms as she was led through the building, Rosalina saw the same kind of strong, well-built men who had been threatening them moments before caring for elderly people, helping them into beds and handing them water. She could hear machines beeping distantly, masked by muffled chatter and coughing fits. 

She was led into a wide hall, where tables had been set up with old and young people alike sat around them. However, a particular crowd had gathered around one man, who Rosalina assumed to be Mr Gilbert when she saw he was breathing at an unsteady rate.

Felipe passed her, speedily getting to Mr Gilbert, gently coaxing him through the asthma attack. His grandmother, turned to Rosalina, smiling and patting her hand once before releasing it, gesturing to Glenn, who was stood anxiously watching Mr Gilbert. “Here he is.”

“Thank you.” Rosalina said, with honest gratefulness. The elderly lady nodded, before shuffling over to join the crowd. 

Rick stepped forward, asking Glenn, who had barely acknowledged them, “What the hell is this?”

“An asthma attack.” He answered obliviously, Rosalina smacking her hand to her forehead at his idiocy. 

“Thought you were being eaten by dogs, man.” T-Dog hissed accusingly, referencing a comment Guillermo had made while Rosalina was distracted by the appearance of her old friend. 

Confused, Glenn stared at him, glancing back to divert their attention to where three tiny dogs sat quietly in a leopard print basket. Unable to help herself, Rosalina’s shoulders shook with the effort of keeping her laughter down, hand clamping over her mouth.

Grabbing ahold of Guillermo’s arm, Rick hissed, “Can I have a word with you?”

Guillermo began to lead them away form the group, Rick muttering quietly to him, “You’re the dumbest son of a bitch I ever met. We walked in there ready to kill every last one of you.”

“I’m glad it didn’t go down that way.” Guillermo stated honestly. 

From behind him, Rosalina tapped him on the shoulder, giving him a questioning look when he turned to face her. “Why wouldn’t you just explain your situation to us? We would’ve been walking out of here with innocent blood on our hands.”

“We would’ve too.” He replied. “We’d have fought back. Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had to. Protect the food, the medicine, what’s left of it. These people, the old ones, the staff took off. Just left them here to die. Me and Felipe were the only ones who stayed.”

“What are you?” Rick asked, drawing Guillermo’s attention back to him. “Doctors?”

“Felipe’s a nurse. Special care provider,” He explained, nodding to the man in question, who was still helping to calm Mr Gilbert down. “Me? I’m the custodian.”

He led them away from the hall, into a small office. Guillermo took the seat behind the desk, while Rick stood in front of him, the rest of the group spreading out around the room. “What about the rest of your crew?”

“The vatos trickle in to check on their parents, the grandparents,” Guillermo explained, cracking a small smile at Rosalina trying to hoist herself up onto a tall counter. Eventually, T-Dog came to her aid, lifting her up by her waist and chuckling at the proud expression on her face as she looked down at them all. “They see how things are and most decide to stay.”

“Julio’s mother,” Rosalina started, recalling her conversations with the man, “Is she still here?”

Sadly, Guillermo shook his head, eyes downcast. “She passed away last month, but Julio decided to stay and help anyway.”

“Yeah,” She smiled. “Sounds like him.”

“It’s a good thing too, we need the muscle.” Guillermo added. “The people we’ve encountered since things fell apart, the worst kind. Plunderers. The kind that take by force.”

“That’s not who we are.” Rick denied, picking up on the accusatory edge to Guillermo’s voice. 

“How was I to know? My people got attacked and you show up with Miguel hostage. Appearances.”

T-Dog heavily sat down in a chair, leaning his head against a wall. “Guess the world changed.”

Guillermo shook his head. “No. It’s the same as it ever was. The weak get taken. So we do what we can here. The gators, they work on cars, and we’re talking about getting the old people out of the city. But most can’t even get to the bathroom by themselves, so that’s just a dream Still, it keeps the crew busy, and that’s worth something. So we barred all the windows, welded at the doors shut, except for one entrance. The vatos, they go out, scavenge what they can to keep us going. We watch the perimeter night and day, and we wait. The people here, they look to me now. I don’t even know why.”

“Because they can.” Rick told him honestly. Rosalina could tell he was just as touched by the explanation of their difficult lives that Guillermo had given them as she.

Proving her correct, Rick handed the man his gun, reaching into the bag and retracting three more, as well as a few rounds to keep them stocked. “Thank you.”

“Hey, you deserve it.” Rosalina told him, meeting his eyes seriously. She slid off the high counter, handing him her gun. “Just keep yourselves safe.”

“We will.” He promised.

They were led back out, and just as they were starting to leave, Julio ran up, calling to Rosalina.

She spun around, grinning at him widely, racing to meet him half-way. They threw their arms around one another, hugging tightly. “You look after yourself, mister. No getting yourself killed.”

“I won’t.” He swore honestly, pulling back to return her grin. “You make sure you don’t get yourself into any trouble. I know what you’re like.”

“Consider me warned.” Again, she reached up, kissing both his cheeks. They hugged one final time, before they were forced to release one another at the sound of Daryl calling for Rosalina to ‘hurry the hell up’. However, she ignored him for a few moments longer, sliding the other gun she had into Julio’s hand. “I’ll see you soon, Julio.”

“You too, Rosie.” The nickname was one she hadn’t heard for years, and she had to hold back a flinch. But, because it was Julio, she only smiled.

With a wave, she ran after her group, glancing back over her shoulder to see Julio one last time before he disappeared behind the wall. She knew it would be the last time she’d see him, but she couldn’t give herself time to mourn that fact.

Together, they made one final run back to the building to collect all of their gear, including Rosalina’s tent and bag, before heading to the car. As they walked, Glenn jokingly remarked to Rick. “Admit it, you only came back for the hat.” 

The older man chuckled, warning him, “Don’t tell anybody.”

Unable to enjoy the relaxed mood, Daryl muttered, “You’ve given away half our guns and ammo.”

“Not nearly half.” Rick argued, but Daryl wouldn’t let the matter drop.

“For what? A bunch of old farts who are gonna die off momentarily anyhow?” He questioned nastily, ignoring the roll of Rosalina’s eyes. “Seriously, how long do you think they got?”

“A lot longer now they’re armed.” She replied plainly, just as they rounded the corner to where they’d parked the truck.

They froze, finding an empty space in front of them. “Oh my god. Where the hell’s our van?”

“We left it right here,” Glenn stated, panicking, not noticing Rosalina kneel on the floor, narrowing her eyes at a spall speck of blood on the concrete. “Who would take it?”

“Merle.” She and Rick answered in sync, Rosalina slowly standing back up, her lips pressed together tightly. 

“He’s gonna be taking some vengeance back to camp.” Daryl pointed out, and Rosalina could see traces of fear in his face. Her stomach tightened into knots. 

Inhaling sharply, she racked her brain for a plan, remembering that her car was still parked in a side street in the city. “I have a car. It’s fully fuelled and about five minutes away from here. If we run, we can get there in three.”

No words were spoken, and Rosalina took their nods as a sign they were following her. She began to sprint, the others following behind her closely. By the time they reached the street, they were all red-faced and panting, taking heaving breaths.

The classic style black car was still parked under the heavy sheet of blue tarpaulin, but Rosalina wasn’t looking at the car anymore. Her eyes had flickered over it, staring hungrily at an old-style motorcycle, with a red and silver body. “You guys take the car, I’ll take the bike. It might be faster.”

“If it’s faster then I should take it.” Daryl disagreed, but Rick angrily interrupted before their argument could waste more time.

“Both of you take the damn bike, we need to get back to camp!” He yelled, yanking the tarpaulin off the car and gesturing for the keys from Rosalina. 

She delved into her rucksack, snatching them and tossing them to Rick, passing her tent to Glenn while Daryl set to work on hot-wiring the bike. By the time Rick, Glenn and T-Dog were packed into the car, the engine was already roaring to life.

Quickly, she dived into the motorcycle, her hands gripping the leather handles. Daryl shot her a hard glare, but at the sound of Rick beeping the car engine, he grimaced. Climbing on behind her, he set his hands firmly on her waist, rolling his eyes at the joyful exclamation Rosalina released when she pulled away.

While she and Daryl led the way, Rick followed closely behind them, driving as fast as he could without wasting all of the fuel. 

Despite their high-speeds, it was still nightfall by the time they reached the camp, and the entire drive up the mountain all they could hear where the screams and yells of their friends. Rosalina forced her foot down harder. 

She almost crashed the motorbike in her hurry to break, Daryl digging his feet into the ground to keep them upright. Around them, the entire campsite was in carnage, with walkers everywhere and bloodied bodies scattered over the ground.

Rick jumped out of the car, shooting two walkers down, while Daryl fired on another. Rosalina drew her daggers, driving the blades through two walkers that ran towards her, kicking another away so that she could spin around and slice the top of it’s head off.

She didn’t see another coming up behind her, and let out a scream of surprise when a bullet fired, grazing past her ear. She turned around to see it was Glenn who had fired the shot, and he nodded to her once before they both sprung back into action. 

Quickly, now that the armed team had returned, the attack began to calm down. Rick was able to stop, grabbing a terrified Carl into a hug. Everybody else however still stood on edge, Rosalina and Daryl circling around with their backs against one another, providing the other with support. 

Rosalina, deciding that the immediate danger was over, began to look over the bodies around her. Instantly, she saw Andrea crouching over a bloodied Amy, and her heart dropped, feeling nothing but grief for the two sisters.

“We were too late.” She murmured, Daryl the only one close enough to hear her. 

The redneck turned to see who she was looking at, head ducking in respect when he saw a sobbing Andrea clutching the body of her dead sister.

Nobody spoke, the only noises being the wind rushing through the trees, and the scattered cries for those who had lost their lives.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rosalina found her way to Carol and Sophia though the slaughter of the camp. The pair was stood sobbing in front of the body of their husband and father, Ed. Rosalina had heard about Ed and how he was a controlling, abusive pig to both the women in his life, and so the sympathy she felt was not towards him, but to the little girl who lost her father too young, and the wife who had seen it happen.

“Hey,” She coaxed them softly, gently placing her hand on Carol’s back, guiding her up. Her other hand went to Sophia, who clutched onto it tightly, great, hiccuping sobs racking her thin body. “Don’t look, just look at me. Okay? Can you both do that?”

Despite having at least twenty years on the younger girl, Carol allowed herself to be babied by Rosalina, letting her slowly guide them over to their tent. She took Sophia on her hip, hugging her closely to her, guiding Carol forward with a hand on her back.

Reaching the tent, she sat Carol down on the makeshift bed, Sophia releasing her to wrap her arms around her mother, the pair hugging tightly as they cried together. Despite this, Rosalina continued to care for them, never meeting their eyes as she slid their shoes off their feet. Carefully, she guided them down onto the bed, still hugging one another tightly.

She grabbed a blanket off the floor, wrapping it over them. “Just sleep. Everything will look better in the morning.”

Shaking, Carol managed a small smile, but it was lost when Sophia released another sob. The mother burrowed her face into her daughter’s hair, both clinging to one another. 

Rosalina stepped back, taking the other bed in the tent and lying down, knowing that she wasn’t leaving this tent until both had stopped crying. But her determination to stay awake was soon lost, and all three slowly drifted off to sleep, exhaustion wearing down heavily on their bodies. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	4. Glenn's spirit animal? A tortoise, obviously

The morning light slid through the gaps in the tent entrance, the warm sunlight hitting Carol’s face, making her eyes flutter open. The memories of last night rushed through her head in a blur, and she winced in pain.

Carefully, she sat up in the bed, eyes bleary from crying for so much of the night, just able to make out the sleeping figure of Rosalina. “Rose?”

Rosalina opened her eyes slowly, sitting up sharply at the sight of Carol, hurrying out apologetically, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep, I just wanted-”

“Thank you,” The older woman cut her off, managing a shaky smile. “Just, thank you.”

Rosalina nodded seriously, standing up unsteadily, still half-asleep. “I’ll leave you with your daughter. If you need me, just call and I'll come running.”

“Thank you.” She related again, and Rosalina gave her a smile before exiting the tent.

Outside, the destruction of last night still remained, and it made her stomach turn. Most of the bodies of their dead had been carried away, ready to be buried, but Amy was still lying in front of the RV, Andrea crouched over her. The sight of the young Mermaid Girl brought tears to Rosalina’s eyes, seeing the blood smeared down her torn throat, strands of blonde hair coated in the red. 

Forcing herself to look away, Rosalina walked down to where the cars were parked, seeing Daryl, T-Dog and Glenn working on preventing the corpses of the walkers from reanimating. Or at least, Daryl was, driving a pick-axe through their skulls while Glenn and T-Dog watched, extremely queasy and pale looking as they worked together to throw each corpse Daryl bludgeoned onto the fire.

“Need a hand?” She called, breaking the grim silence. The trio looked up, exchanging glances before Daryl begrudgingly nodded. She picked up an axe, joining Daryl in driving it through the walkers’ heads. For once, she didn’t flinch or grimace, cold anger coursing through her veins at the scene that surrounded her. 

After a while, Daryl and Rosalina began to help load the corpses onto the fire, finally finishing the job within about thirty minutes, leaving the four of them with nothing to do. They stood together, glancing around uncertainly, feeling annoyingly useless.

“We could start unloading the car?” Rosalina suggested, knowing they were all trying to work out what to do. “Y’all wanna help me set up the tent?”

Glenn and T-Dog nodded, Daryl grunting in response, clearly annoyed at what his role in camp had been dragged down to. Rosalina almost laughed, but the mournful mood that surrounded her stopped her.

Holding her tent, T-Dog looked to Rosalina as she climbed in one side of the car, grabbing her bag of the seat and popping out the other side. “Where’d you wanna set up?”

“Well, I did make a promise a few days ago.” She managed a smile, but it was pitiful. “Set it up by Mr Dixon’s.”

“Don’t you dare.” He snarled, his angry voice breaking the silence of the camp. Rosalina rolled her eyes, nodding to T-Dog and Glenn to carry on, grabbing ahold of Daryl’s arm and pulling him away from the watching eyes of the group. “Get the fuck off me.”

“Listen, asshole,” For a second, her English accent slipped, sounding as Southern as Daryl himself. She inwardly cursed, dreading the thought that she was starting to pick up the mannerisms of those who surrounded her. “These people are mourning. We lost a lot of good people last night, innocent people, and the last thing any of them need is you running your damn mouth every chance you get. I’m sorry for what happened to your brother, not because he was a good guy, but because he was your brother and I don’t know how I’d react if it was me in that situation. Everyone has suffered their own losses, and nobody is taking it out on you, so have the courtesy to do the same for them.”

He glared at her, snatching his arm back from her grip. “Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do, bitch.”

“I’m not.” There was a dark glint in her eyes, and Daryl almost stumbled back at the malicious expression on her face. “But if you make this any harder for those kids who have just seen a fucking horror show, I won’t hesitate to throw you off this mountain and into the quarry. They don’t deserve this shit.”

Giving his chest a hard push, she stomped away, jogging to catch up to T-Dog and Glenn down by Daryl’s tent. As she went, she passed her new motorcycle, and for a brief moment her mournful mood was broken by the exciting sight of the new ride she’d gotten her hands on.

She quickly skipped on, reaching Glenn and T-Dog, holding back a laugh to see T-Dog casually stood the side of the tent, smirking at Glenn’s figure. He had climbed into the tent, for what purpose she didn’t know, and was seemingly stuck inside. “You need a hand, sweetie?”

“Yes!” He called back, stumbling forward to the sound of her voice. His feet got caught, sending him tumbling into the ground with a loud yell. Unable to help themselves, Rosalina and T-Dog exploded in a fit of laughter, Rosalina almost crying at the sight of the struggling Glenn, trapped like a tortoise on his back. “Stop laughing and help me!”

“In....a...minute.” Rosalina managed to breath out in-between laughs, T-Dog hitting into her by accident in his amused fit. Eventually, they began to calm down, Rosalina straightening and letting out a long sigh. “Sorry, sweetie, we’re coming to your rescue now.”

Together, she and T-Dog lifted up the tent entrance, Glenn hurriedly scrambling out of the tent, laying on the ground panting. “That thing is a death-trap!”

“Nah, man, you’re just an idiot.” T-Dog informed him jokingly, still sniggering. Rosalina bit back a smile, holding out a hand and pulling Glenn back up onto his feet.

“Come on, boys, lets get this ‘death-trap’ set up.” They set to work, Rosalina holding the tent up from the inside when Glenn defiantly refused, the two men threading the pipes through.

By the time they were finished, the bodies of their dead had been almost all buried, with the exception of only a few. 

Wandering back into camp, with sweaty skin and red faces, the trio found Andrea still crouched over Amy’s body. By now, Rosalina could only imagine her every muscle was aching with the constant effort of remaining still, but she doubted Andrea would even consider it. She was in grief, anybody could see that, and that pain was hurting more than anything else she could feel.

Rosalina’s eyes slid from the grieving sister, to Daryl, who was silently helping Dalei move their dead across to the pile waiting to be buried. He felt her stare and turned.

Slowly, she nodded to him, pleasantly surprised when he returned it, before continuing with his work. She smiled.  

“A walker got him! A walker bit Jim!” Shocked, Rosalina turned to where Jacqui was panicking, a terrified Jim stood in place. 

The effect of the words were immediate. The whole group circled around him, blocking of all his escape routes and trapping him like an animal in a cage. Even Rosalina stepped forward, prepared to stop him if he tried to run, but she lacked the same conviction in her expression as those around her, who glowered at Jim suspiciously. She could only stare sympathetically. 

“Show it to us.” Daryl ordered, threateningly swinging the pick axe he had snatched up again. “Show it to us!”

“I’m okay.” Jim breathed, shaking his head, clearly trying to pretend the situation wasn’t happening. He reached down, picking up a shovel despite the protests of the men and Rosalina who stood around him. “I’m okay.”

“Hey, easy Jim.” Rosalina called, raising her hands up. He turned to her, eyes wide and mouth trembling, shaking his head, terrified. The approach the group had taken was doing nothing to calm his panic, sending him further into shock, shown by his shaky movements. 

From behind him, T-Dog ran up, grabbing his arms and pinning them behind his back, allowing Daryl to run forward and lift up his shirt. “I’m okay. I’m okay.”

Rosalina closed her eyes tightly, having seen the bloody bite mark on Jim's skin just like everybody else. “Fuck.”

“I’m okay.” Jim kept repeating the same words even when Daryl and T-Dog released him, both staring at him in shock. “I’m okay, I’m okay.”

Out of the group, Rosalina was the only one willing to step forward towards him again, armed with nothing but her hands. “Jim, listen to me. I’m going to take your arm, and we’re going to move you over to the RV, okay?”

“I’m okay.” He continued to repeat the same sentence, and Rosalina could do nothing but gently place her hand around his arm. Suddenly, she was batted away from him, Daryl standing over her, acting as a wall between her and the frightened man.

“Don’t.” He ordered, and she glowered up at him.

“He hasn’t turned yet.” She hissed, all too aware of the watching eyes on her back. “He’s not a threat.”

“He got bit-”

“But he hasn’t turned!” She cut him off, storming around him and shoving him back. When approaching Jim, she quickly changed her angry demeanour, starting to guide him over to the RV. As she did, she turned back to Daryl, telling him quietly, “It’s the dead we fear among us, not the living.”

Carefully, she sat him down behind the RV, out of the path of the pounding sunlight. “Jim? Can you tell me the name of your wife?”

“I’m okay.” He continued to repeat, the shock wearing down on him heavily. His hands shook, so Rosalina covered them with her own, already able to feel the burning fever on his skin, the sweat that dripped down his face further evidence. 

With a sigh, Rosalina tried again. “Jim, I need you to tell me the name of your wife.”

He rocked back and forth, finally managing to mutter out under his breath, “Tracey.”

“Good,” She coaxed him, kneeling down in front of him. Hopefully, the shock was beginning to wear off if he could start to recall details about his family. “Listen to me, okay? You need to stay here, while I go and talk to the others, okay? But I’ll come back and check on you in a second.”

Rather than speak, he simply nodded, and Rosalina gave him a small smile before jogging over to the circle that had formed.

“I say we put a pick axe in his head.” Daryl said plainly, just as Rosalina joined the circle, jumping up onto a rock so that he towered over the younger girl. 

“Is that what you’d want?” Shane asked. “If it were you?”

“Yeah, and I’d thank you while you did it.” He shot back at him, standing straight. On his left side, Rosalina bit her lip, staring around at the group anxiously.

She didn’t know where to stand on the situation. Yes, she’d just argued that Jim hadn’t turned yet, but there was no doubt he was going to, and what would they do then? Let him lose his humanity and become a mindless beast to be slaughtered later? It didn’t seem humane. But neither did killing him while he still lived and breathed either. 

“I hate to say it,” Dale started, unable to meet the eyes of the gathered circle members, “I never thought I would, but maybe Daryl’s right.”

Dale’s shock at agreeing with Daryl was mirrored by the others, who stared at him in surprise. Even Daryl himself rose his eyebrows, stunned. Rick was the first to put forth an argument, before Dale could explain further. “Jim’s not a monster, Dale, or some rabid dog.”

“I’m not suggesting that-” The older man started to defend himself, only for Rick to cut him off quickly. 

“He’s sick, a sick man. We start down that road, where do we draw the line?” He put the question forth to them, and of course Daryl had an answer.

“The line’s pretty clear. Zero tolerance for the walkers, or them to be.” His harsh words drew a sigh from Rosalina, who covered her face with her hands, shaking her head. She couldn't believe they were having to make this decision.

“What if we can get him help? I heard the CDC was working on a cure.” Rick’s suggestion made Shane shake his head.

“I heard that too. Heard a lot of things before the world went to hell.” He said dissmisively, but Rick persisted.

“What if the CDC is up and running?” Rosalina drew her pale hands away from her face, facing them all with tired, dulled eyes. She didn't notice the blood on her lip from where she had been nervously biting her lip from moments before, although Rick cast a concerned look down at the trail of red.

“Even if it is, which I’m sorry to say I doubt, how’re we meant to get there before we lose Jim?” She asked, speaking out for the first time. 

Rick sighed, taking a deep breath before continuing. “I hate to say it, believe me, but even if we don’t make it in time, we’d still have something to hold on to. The CDC could be protection, shelter, it would probably have food.”

“Rick, I know you want these things, I do too,” Shane started to counter, “But if they exist, they’re at the army base, Fort Benning.”

“That’s a hundred miles in the opposite direction.” Lori pointed out from Rick’s side, dirt covering her cheeks. She’d clearly been one of the people digging the graves. 

“That’s right, but it’s away from the hot zone.” Shane argued, raising his hands to empathise his point. “Now listen to me, if that place is operational, it will be heavily armed. We’d be safe there.”

The argument continued as Rick said, “The military were on the front lines of this thing, they got overrun, we’ve seen that! The CDC’s are best choice, and Jim’s only chance.”

Rosalina felt Daryl move at her side, and she frowned, glancing to him when he started to move back. He suddenly yelled out, “Someone needs to have some balls and take care of this damn problem!”

He raised his axe up above his head, aiming for Jim, only to have Rosalina barge into him. He was knocked to the ground, her legs on either side of his body and Rick and Shane’s guns trained on his head. “Love, we’ve really got to stop ending up with me on top of you like this. People are going to talk.”

“We don’t kill the living.” Rick told him, helping Rosalina up with his free hand and allowing Daryl to stand.

The redneck jabbed his axe towards Rosalina, but then turned his attention on Rick, staring down the barrel of his gun. “It’s funny, coming from a man who just put a gun to my head.”

“We may disagree on somethings, but not this. You put it down.” Shane ordered Daryl, who growled, slamming the axe down into the ground, storming away. 

Rosalina looked at Rick, checking for permission, and at his nod ran after Daryl, who had stomped off into the forest. “Hey, Legolas!”

“Fuck off.” He yelled back at her, crashing through the bushes and leaves, punching at every branch that got in his way. Behind him, Rosalina persisted, able to duck under the majority of obstacles easily.

“Listen to me, jackass,” She called ahead, wincing when her hair caught of a thick bramble. She yanked it free, continuing on. “You’re right!”

He froze, turning back to ask her, “What did you say to me?”

Breathing out a sigh, Rosalina batted away a branch, calmly telling him again. “About Jim, I think you’re right. If it were I in his situation, I’d want someone to end it for me too. But how you’re going about it, ruthless and cruel, that’s wrong. That’s why I tackled you, quite well can I add.”

There was a moment of tense silence, Rosalina watching his earnestly, while the hunter avoided her eyes, kicking at the ground. Then, he smirked. 

“I’m getting a bruise from you constantly knocking me over.” He joked, making her laugh. “You said you trained with the boys’ rugby team?”

“Yeah.” She nodded, shrugging her shoulders as she trained her eyes on her own two feet. “I had more friends in the team, and we were still quite young so the coaches didn’t mind me getting tackled by the lads. It was only when I moved outta training bras they tried to stick me in the girls’ team, but I hated every last one of those stuck up bitches so I just quit.”

He snorted, kicking at the ground with his feet. Felling brave, Rosalina said, “Somebody needs to take the bodies up the hillside to be buried, and I was thinking of driving the truck up. Wanna help?”

“Why not?” He shrugged, scratching the back of his neck. “Not like I’ll be allowed to do anything else around here after that.”

“They know why you did it.” Rosalina disagreed, turning around to lead the way back, Daryl trailing behind her. “They may not understand it, but they know. You’re not the bad guy to them, just the short-tempered one.”

They lapsed into silence, soon finding their way back into camp. The second Rosalina’s green hair became visible among the trees, she was shouted by Carl, who came rushing over with Morales’ two children. “Mom said we could ask you to show us the music player you brought? Glenn said it’s really cool.”

Rosalina laughed, kneeling down with a smile on her face. “That depends, are you gonna be careful with it?”

“Yes!” All three clamoured at once, completely serious.

Turning her head back, Rosalina smiled at Daryl, “Think you can handle moving them up there on your own?”

“I’ll be fine.” He replied gruffly, stepping passed her and sauntering over to the truck. Rosalina rolled her eyes at him jokingly, standing back up and starting to lead the children over to her newly set up tent. 

For a few hours, she sat with the children, distracting them for the funerals that were going on up the mountain side. After a while, a red-eyed Sophia slipped inside, silently taking a seat next to Morales’ daughter. Rosalina gave her a kind smile, nodding knowingly before helping Carl change the vinyl from a nineties pop band Rosalina had never heard of to the heavy metal rock band, AC/DC.

“Ah, great choice, sweetheart.” Rosalina complimented, nodding her head along to the drum beat. “You’re got fantastic taste.” 

He grinned up at her proudly, but quickly became distracted by the sounds of the adults walking back into the camp. All the children’ eyes turned to the door, with the exception of Sophia, and Rosalina could tell they were desperate to go and greet their parents. “Go on, you lot, it’ll still be here later on.”

They scrambled up, running out one after the other, leaving Sophia and Rosalina sat on the floor together. The older girl looked down at Sophia’s young face, and smiled sadly, reaching over and taking her hand. At the contact, Sophia dove forward, clinging to Rosalina like she had last night, starting to cry heavily on her shoulder.

Rosalina began to rock back and forth, comforting the girl instinctively, turning the record player off. “Shh, honey. It’s okay. You’re okay, I promise.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Rose?” When Glenn’s face appeared, peering into her tent, Rosalina hurriedly shushed him, gesturing with her eyes down to the sleeping girl in her lap. “Sorry! Rick asked me to come and get you.”

“Can it wait?” She shuffled under Sophia’s light body, feeling her legs falling asleep. “I don’t want to wake her just yet.”

But Glenn gave her a grim look. “It’s about Jim.”

She tensed, nodding in understanding. Gently, she shifted herself so that Sophia was lying across the floor, placing her jacket over her shoulders to keep her warm before following Glenn out of the tent and towards the RV.

Seeing them approaching, Rick muttered a grateful thank you to Glenn, who hopped off with a nod, leaving Rick to turn to Rosalina. “I wanted to ask your opinion on this. On Jim.”

She sighed, her eyes fluttering closed as she pressed a hand to her forehead. The midday sun beat down on her back, and she could feel her ivory skin burning without the barrier of her jacket. “I was hoping you wouldn’t ask me that.”

“Please,” He begged, “I need to know if I’m the only one who wants to save Jim.”

“Of course I want to save him!” She exclaimed, eyes opening wide and staring at Rick accusingly. “Don’t twist the two sides here, everybody wants the chance to be able to save him. Even Daryl would, if he knew he could. The issue is, we have no certainty that the CDC are offering up a cure, or even if they’re still up and running. Without that certainty, we’re taking a dangerous gamble that could end up costing lives. And, of course, if everything you’re hoping is true then it’s worth the risk, but we have to consider the greatness of that risk.”

Rick nodded in understanding, asking reasonably. “Okay, then explain how you see it to me.”

Rosalina chuckled without humour, shaking her head. “You’re not making this easy for me, General. Look, the way I see it, we have a pretty good deal up here. It’s safe, easy access to water, and the ability to make trips into the city, even if they may be risky ones. Even if the CDC is safer, the journey there will be dangerous. I’m obviously not a parent, but you are, and I have to ask; are you really willing to risk Carl’s life for this?”

The position she put him in was tough, and she could see the reproach in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I worded that badly, but there’s no easy way to consider the situation.”

“Then consider it like this,” Rick began, desperate. “If we stay here then it is certain we’re going to lose someone. If we go, there is only the chance we might lose someone. The way I see it, we at least have to try.”

Rosalina stared at him, her eyes searching every inch of his face. Finally, she sighed. “You are really putting me in a difficult position. But I see your point, and if you’re willing to take the risk, then I suppose I am too. If you’re going to argue this to the group, then I’ll stand with you.”

“Thank you,” The honest gratitude in his voice earned him a smile from Rosalina. “I mean it, thank you.”

“Hey, I stand for what I think is right. I didn’t start a political party for nothing.” She shrugged, holding back a snort of laughter when her eyes grazed past Rick’s astonished expression. “A story for another day, General. For now, I think we ought to join the rest of the group.”

She gestured her to head to the gathering of the group around the fire. Rick nodded, the pair of them slowly making their way over, feeling several pairs of eyes on their heads. Rosalina dared to glance up, and almost jumped in surprise when she met Shane’s stare. His refused to look away, and she furrowed her brow as she continued to walk, a shiver running up her back.

As they reached the circle, Rosalina automatically taking a seat on the floor next to Glenn while Rick walked around to sit with his wife and son, Shane began to talk. “I’ve-uh, I’ve been thinking about Rick’s plan. Now look, there are no guarantees. Either way, I’ll be the first person to admit that. I’ve known this man a long time. I trust his instincts. I say the most important thing here is we need to stay together. So for those of you who agree, we leave first thing in the morning.”

Rosalina leaned forward, running a hand through her hair. “I’d just like to add, because I’ve just had a very intense conversation and I feel I should be rewarded for that by getting to voice my opinion, that I’ve known this man for about seventy-two hours and I too trust his instincts. But I will not be leaving first thing in the morning-I will be heaving a proper lie in and we can leave at nine.”

Her ability to lighten the mood still managed to surprise the group, and laughter shook through the camp, even Daryl shaking his head with a snort. “I hear no arguments, so I say it’s settled. Tomorrow morning, at nine. This’ll be fun.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, following the orders of Rosalina, the group who were choosing to leave had gathered beside their various vehicles, their bags packed and their tents folded. “Those of you with CBs, we’re gonna be on channel 40, but lets keep the chatter down. Now, you got a problem, don’t have a CB, can’t get a signal, anything at all, you’re gonna hit your horn one time. That’ll stop the caravan.”

Rosalina nodded along to Shane’s instruction, leaning against her newly acquired motorbike. Dale had topped up the fuel, meaning she would be able to last most of the journey without stopping to raid for more. She’d never managed a long journey on a motorbike before, but she was too excited about her new wheels to accept the offer of the RV. 

“We’re not going.” Her mouth dropped open, taken aback as she turned to face Morales and his family. “We have family in Birmingham. We want to be with our people.”

“Are you sure?” Rosalina asked, with genuine concern, cutting Shane off when he began to speak. Morales and his wife, Maria, turned to face her. “I don’t mean to play devil’s advocate, but you won’t have anyone to watch your back.”

“We’ll take the chance.” Morales told her firmly, looking to Rick as he spoke next. “I gotta do what’s best for my family.”

“All right.” Rick nodded, he and Shane wordlessly reaching down into the ammo bag and producing two guns. He walked across, handing them to Morales with a respectful nod, Shane handing over a box of rounds. “Box is half full.”

“Thank you all, for everything.” Maria said, choking back a sob. Lori stood up, teary eyed, and hugged the woman. Rosalina dropped her bags down by her motorcycle, walking over to the two children, kneeling down to talk to them.

“Hey,” She greeted, her voice soft and compassionate. “You guys are going to be okay, I promise. Your dad and your mum are both looking out for you. Don’t worry.”

The eldest, Morales’ daughter, dove into Rosalina’s arms, breathing shakily. Rosalina steadied herself with a laugh, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of the girl’s head. She opened her other arm, and the boy joined them. They stayed like that for a few moments, Rosalina finally pulling away and standing back up. With a smile, she ruffled the boy’s hair, turning to Morales.

“Good luck.” She told him, holding out her hand. He took it, nodding to her.

“Thank you, and you too.” They pulled away, Rosalina making her way back over to her motorcycle without another word. She climbed on top of it, watching the tearful goodbyes between the group and those who were remaining. 

“Lets go!” Shane called, putting an end to the farewells. 

It was only now that Rosalina realised she had no space for her luggage, and pulled an awkward face. Seeing this, Daryl rolled his eyes, grabbing her bags and tent and tossing them into the back of his truck. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” He replied gruffly, pulling himself up into the driver’s seat.

Rosalina waited until Shane, the RV and Daryl had all driven off before following behind, not bothering to turn her head to take one last look at the camp as she drove. There was no point reminiscing when they had a long journey ahead of them. 

They drove for two hours before the first sign of trouble appeared. Rosalina came to a screeching halt at the side of Daryl’s truck, seeing the RV had pulled to a stop, smoke bellowing from the engine. Calling up to Daryl, she asked. “What’s going on?”

“They’ve broke down.” He stated obviously, Rosalina’s eyes rolling up to the heavens. 

“No shit, Sherlock.” Kicking off, she manoeuvred her way up to where Rick, Dale, Andrea, T-Dog and Glenn had all climbed out of their cars to observe the damage. “What’s going on?”

“The hose is bust.” Andrea answered tiredly, running a hand through her long blond hair.

With limited knowledge about cars, Rosalina just winced, hoping it was the right reaction. Based on the concerned faces of those around her as they stared at Dale trying desperately hard to fix the hose, it was. 

“Y’all,” Jacqui cried, leaning out of the RV door, shaking her head fearfully. “Jim. It’s bad. I don’t think he can take anymore.”

Rosalina’s eyes met Rick’s, and she could see his concern. “Alright, some of us should drive on ahead, see if we can find something to amend this situation. I’ll go because my bike is pretty fast. Anyone fancy joining me?”

“I’ll go.” Daryl decided, Shane and T-Dog both adding their names to the group. 

“Lets go, boys. You going to be okay here, Rick?” She asked, starting the engine of her motorbike with a roar. The other three ran to their own vehicles. 

“I’ll be fine.” He assured her, and she gave him a tense smile, kicking off the ground and quickly catching up with Shane and T-Dog in the jeep, Daryl’s truck roaring behind her. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When they returned, with the equipment Rosalina pretend to know was necessary, Rick stood on the RV steps. The group had gathered around him, all wearing somber expressions. Seeing them approach, Rick quickly explained. “Jim’s asked us to leave him here. It’s what he wants.”

“He’s lucid?” Carol verified, disbelieving that anyone would chose this as their fate, no matter how desperate they may be. 

Rick put his hands on his hips, leaning his shoulder against the RV. “He seems to be. I would say yes.”

“Back at the camp,” Dale started. “When I said Daryl might be right, you misunderstood me. I would never go along with callously killing a man. But I was just gonna suggest that we ask Jim what he wants. And I think we have an answer.”

Rosalina rubbed her eyes tiredly as Shane voiced his opinion. “We just leave him here, we take off? Man, I’m not sure I could live with that.”

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Rosalina said, “It’s not our choice. It’s Jim’s. What right do we have to dictate what he does? None. It’s Jim’s choice, and Jim’s alone, no matter what qualms we may hold about that decision ourselves.”

Her strong words had the desired effect, and it wasn’t long before Rick and Shane were heaving the fragile and sweating Jim up against a tree on the side fo the road, the mournful group gathering around him. 

Shane, confident he wouldn’t fall, stepped back. “Hey, Jim. I mean, you know it doesn’t need to be this.”

“No,” Jim disagreed, eyes closed, seeming surprisingly peaceful as he felt the wind brush past his body. “It’s good. The breeze feels nice.” 

“Okay.” Shane nodded, stepping back. 

Jacqui stepped forward next, kneeling down and kissing Jim’s cheek. “Just close your eyes, sweetie. Don’t fight.”

Plainly holding back tears, Jacqui pulled away, allowing Rick the space to say his goodbye. In his hand, he held a loaded gun, hidden from the sight of Carl and Sophia who stood watching tearfully a few feet away. “Jim, do you want this?”

“No, you’ll need it.” His consideration suddenly forced a sob up out of Rosalina’s mouth, surprising her more than anyone else. She bit it back, her chest heaving with the effort, unable to hold onto the tears that freely slipped down her cheeks. “I’m okay.”

Sorrowfully, Rick moved for Dale to take his place. “Thanks for fighting for us.”

Around her, the rest began to leave, but Rosalina knelt down. “I don’t know you, and for that I’m sorry. But-fuck, sorry, I’ll stop crying eventually. Just remember, you went down with a fight. Tracey and your kids would be proud.”

Jim smiled at her gratefully, a lone tear sliding down his face. “Thank you.”

“Bye, Jim.” She stood up, wiping furiously at her eyes, turning around to find Daryl still stood behind her. He stared straight past her to Jim, seeming to debate whether to say something or not.

Delicately, she placed a hand on his arm, making him meet her gaze. With a soft smile, she nodded encouragingly, before traipsing back down the hill. At the last moment, before climbing onto her motorbike, she looked back. She watched Daryl give Jim a nod of respect, which was returned, walking back down to his truck quickly.

As they drove away, the entire group kept their eyes fixed on the peaceful Jim, Rosalina raising her hand in goodbye. They escaped slowly down the road, never looking back until they knew for certain that he was out of sight.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	5. Rosalina gets around on her night off

They reached the CDC just as dusk had begun to settle in. Rosalina climbed off her bike, looking around at the desolate area. There was nobody around except them and the rotting corpses of guards, stacked up on the sandbags the protected the towering grey building of the CDC. The scene was grim, especially with the quickly falling darkness in the sky above them.

Sniffing the air, Rosalina coughed, covering her mouth in disgust. The sickening smell of death and decay was all around them, and when she ran to catch up with Rick, she could see the same concerned expression on his face as on hers. Around them was nothing but death and silence, suggesting that their worst fears were true-there really was nobody left.

Nobody spoke, silently following Rosalina and Rick when they took the lead, hands covering noses at the stench. Rosalina held back a gag at the sickening sight of a body stripped entirely of it’s skin, leaving behind only a bloodied structure of bones and clothes. Around the corpse, flies buzzed, attracted to the rotting stench.

“Keep moving.” Rick encouraged her, catching the disgust in her expression. “Come on.”

“Sorry.” She apologised, with an unusual meekness for the vibrant woman, fixing her gaze firmly on the ground in front of her. Her two daggers were drawn, but they hung limply at her side, fear setting in at the lonely slaughter that surrounded them. She couldn’t truly believe that they would be able to find protection here.

They drew closer to the building, passing a tank as they went, confirming to them that at some point the building had been protected by the military. But that protection lay scattered around them, eyes having rotted back into their skulls or picked out by hungry animals and insects. 

Reaching the sealed doors, Rick and Shane tried to force them open, Rosalina banging on the metal loudly. “Hello?”

But they could all hear the hopelessness in her voice, unable to portray the same conviction as Rick beside her. 

“There’s nobody there.” T-Dog stated dejectedly.

“Then why are the shutters down?” Rick shot back, determined to be proven right, desperately slamming on the door again.

Suddenly, Daryl warned, “Walkers!”

Spinning, the group found themselves staring a walking in the dead eyes, Daryl shooting an arrow into the centre of its head before rounding on Rick. “You led us into a graveyard!”

“Hey!” Rosalina dived forward, pressing her hands against Daryl’s chest and forcibly moving him back from Rick, who was still trying the doors. “We all agreed to come here, don’t put the blame on Rick!”

“It was his damn idea!” Daryl argued, shoving against Rosalina. She held him back still, listening to the panicked questions and statements of those around her. Each word tightened the knot growing in her stomach. 

“We can’t be this close to the city after dark.” Lori cried out fearfully, clutching Carl to her protectively. 

“Fort Benning, Rick. Still an option.” Shane suggested, panic creeping into his voice too. 

“That’s 125 miles,” Rosalina called, giving Daryl a threatening look before pushing him away, facing the group. “We don’t have anywhere near enough fuel or food to last us that long.”

Shots fired in the background, walkers being hit one by one. “We need answers tonight!”

“We’ll think of something.” Rick assured his wife, but he lacked the certainty he had held at the camp when announcing his idea, surrounded by the group’s chaos as they began to head back to the convoy. “The camera, it moved!”

“I saw it!” Rosalina nodded, heart pounding against her chest, running up to the camera that sat above the door. “Is someone in there?”

“Lets go!” Daryl called out, gesturing harshly with his gun. “You imagined it! We need to go or we’ll be trapped by walkers!”

“It moved!” Rick denied Daryl’s idea, joining at the door.

Shane stepped up next to them. “Rick, Rose, even if it did move, it’s an automated device. It’s curious, okay. It’s just winding down, now come on.”

Plainly ignoring him, Rosalina spoke to the camera again, her eyes wide and pleading. “Please, we know there’s someone in there! Help us, please! There are kids here, for fucks sake!”

“We have women, children, no food, hardly any gas left.” Rick listed, pulling away from Lori when she yanked on his arm desperately. At his side, Rosalina screamed when she was pulled over Daryl’s shoulder, the redneck ducking his head to avoid her kicks as he began to roughly force her away from the door.

“Please!” She yelled out one last time, staring desperately into the camera. “You’re condemning us to death! Please!”

Shane managed to force Rick away, the ex-sheriff still screaming out desperately. “You’re killing us! You’re killing us!”

“Lets go.” Daryl hissed to Rosalina, starting to walk with her still over his shoulder. She struggled, yanking her body back and forth to try and loosen his grip, eyes bleary with fearful tears. Suddenly, her vision was filled with a blinding white light, the shutter door sliding up. 

For a brief moment, the group froze, Rosalina ceasing her thrashing as she stared. Then, they all charged forward, Daryl forgetting to drop Rosalina in the sudden forward surge. However, the moment he stepped foot inside the building, she flung herself away from him and onto the floor, landing heavily in a heap.

Forcing herself up quickly, she gave him a firm nod, knowing he had meant well by his actions. But he didn’t react, jerking his head away to take in their surroundings. Rosalina reluctantly did the same. 

The bright light faded quickly, revealing a wide reception area. The wall behind them was made entirely of tinted glass, and the rest of the structure was composed of marble, the CDC logo on the wall opposite them and a mosaic patter on the floor under their feet. 

“Hello?” Rick called out, and they all heard the distinct sound of a gun being loaded. Immediately, their weapons trained on the source of the sound, seeing the dark figure of a man pointing a gun towards them.

“Anybody infected?” He demanded, keeping to the shadows.

Playing his role as leader, Rick explained. “One of our group was. He didn’t make it.”

“Why are you here?” Slowly, the figure stepped forward. He was revealed to be a plainly dressed man, with clammy white skin and a balding head. “What do you want?”

“A chance.” Rick breathed out shakily. 

“That’s asking an awful lot these days.” The stranger informed him, gun still pointing forward. 

Rick ducked his head. “I know.”

The group stared at him pleadingly, blood still pumping furiously fast though their bodies, the adrenaline rush from their panic outside not having yet worn off. Rosalina tried desperately hard to slow her heavy breathing but to no avail, blinking up at the stranger when his eyes came to rest on her.

He kept his gaze fixed on her, but spoke to the group, “You will all submit to a blood test. That’s the price of admission.”

“We’ll pay it.” She told him, her quiet voice travelling along the echoing walls. 

He nodded in acknowledgement to her, turning back to Rick to tell him, “You got stuff to bring in, do it now. Once this door closes, it says closed.”

He dropped his gun to his side, pointing to the entrance.

Rosalina nodded, taking charge. “Anyone with a weapon gets the bags, the rest of us stay here. There’s still walkers out there so we can’t have anyone undefended running around in the dark. Lets go.”

Listening to her like they would Rick, the group separated into two teams again, Shane, Rick, Daryl and T-Dog all following Rosalina out of the doors and back outside. Each grabbing at least four bags each, abandoning the tents, they jogged back to the safety of the CDC, Daryl keeping one hand free to fire on any walkers that drew too close to them.

Once back inside, they dropped the bags to the ground, the stranger shutting the doors after them and speaking into a comms unit fixed to the wall, “Vi, seal the main entrance. Kill the power up here.”

The shutters slammed down with force, trapping them inside. Rick and Rosalina shared a look, both turning to the stranger and introducing themselves in turn.

“Rick Grimes.” He shook his hand.

“Rosalina Jones, but just call me Rose.” She shook his hand with a smile.

“Dr Edwin Jenner.” He introduced himself formally, nodding to each of them. 

He gestured to them to follow him, Rosalina turning back to the rest of group as they did, “Come on, guys.”

Shoes clicking along the marble floor, the group found themselves being packed into a surprisingly large elevator, Rosalina finding herself pressed up against Daryl’s side again, Glenn close against her other side. She wriggled, trying to fight her way to into a more spacious area, only to accidentally force herself closer against Daryl, her backside pressing against his thigh. She froze, tensing, trying her hardest not to move again. Daryl’s warmth radiated against her back, making it all that much harder to breath normally. 

“Doctors always go around packing heat like that?” Daryl called to Edwin, who was at the entrance of the elevator as the doors closed. The closeness of his voice startled Rosalina, making her jump in surprise. Daryl smirked down at her. 

“There were plenty left lying around. I familiarised myself.” The doctor answered, casting a sarcastic smile to the redneck. “But you look harmless enough. Except you.”

He spoke jokingly to Carl. The young boy looked up at him, eyes heavy with tiredness. “I’ll have to keep my eye on you.”

Rosalina laughed, pleased by the smile on Carl’s tired face. “Oh yeah, he’s a spitfire.”

Edwin glanced back at her, still smiling. “Thought so. It’s always the small ones that surprise you.”

“Always.” She teased, a smile still playing on her lips when he looked back to the doors. Beside her, she heard Daryl grunt, craning her neck up to look at him. “You okay, love?”

He shoved his shoulder against her in response, knocking her back into Glenn. He quickly caught her, Rosalina murmuring her thanks, glowering up at Daryl. “Jerk.”

The insult sounded pathetic even in her head, but she was trying hard to remember the presence of two children in the levitator around her, forcing her to bite back her more creative of insults.

Surprisingly, she found herself cold, trapped in her original position between Daryl and Glenn again, without the warmth of Daryl to keep her from shivering. She shook her head, driving her own thoughts away. 

Edwin led them out of the elevator and through a series of passages, Rosalina trying her hardest to remember the way but soon losing track. The plain, white hallways all looked the same to her, the bright light giving her a headache. 

They trailed into a large circular room, filled with desks and monitors and computers. “Vi, bring up the lights in the big room.”

At Edwin’s command, the room was illuminated by harsh white light. Rosalina winced, blinking quickly to try and remove the black dots that floated in front of her vision. “Where is everybody?”

“I’m it.” Edwin answered her, stepping down the ramp to where the computers and desks were gathered on a platform in the middle. “It’s just me here.”

“What about the person you were speaking with?” Lori asked, confused. “Vi?”

“Automated voice control system.” Rosalina murmured off-handedly. Edwin pointed to her, nodding.

“You’ve been around them before?” He asked, seemingly surprised.

She shrugged, raising one eyebrow, always with the air of mystery. “Once or twice.”

He nodded, impressed. “Vi, say hello to our guests. Tell them welcome.”

The electronically engineered voice of a woman greeted over the intercom. “Hello guests. Welcome.”

“I’m all that’s left.” Edwin repeated, but Rosalina’s attention had slid past him to the digital clock hooked up to the wall. The big red numbers were decreasing, reading 18:42:47. “I’m sorry.”

He walked them back out of the room and into a lecture hall, asking them to line up for the promised blood tests. Seeing the fearful faces of the two children at the sight of the long needle Edwin had produced, Rosalina volunteered to go first, giving them a confident smile. “Don’t worry, sweethearts, you’ll barely even feel it.”

They didn’t look convinced, the group watching closely as she took a seat next to the desk, sliding off her jacket. Edwin gave her a comforting look, feeling the tensed muscle of her arm as he prepared to push the needle in. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” She faked a relaxed voice, hiding her face with her hair. The minute the needle pierced her skin, she scrunched her face up hard, holding in a yelp. The stinging continued even when he was bandaging her up, but she ignored it, turning to Carl and Sophia. “See? I’m a total wuss and it didn’t even hurt me. I promise, you’ll be fine.”

She ruffled Carl’s hair as she passed him, skipping up the steps. Lori’s hand shot out, grabbing her wrist gently and mouthing a grateful ‘thank you’, to which Rosalina only chuckled. 

The tests continued, both Sophia and Carl managing with little to no protest, earning themselves a wide smile from Rosalina, sticking her two thumbs up proudly. Finally, it was only Andrea left, and as she stood up from the chair, she stumbled uneasily. Luckily, Jacqui was there to catch her.

“You okay?” Edwin asked, concerned.

From over the blonde’s shoulder, Jacqui explained sharply, “She hasn’t eaten in days. None of us have.”

Rosalina saw the thoughtful look on Edwin’s face, watching him study the room. Eventually, he stood up. “Follow me.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The feast they shared was huge, wine being spilled across the table uncaringly, the adults laughing red-faced and happy. Food lay scattered across the table, little to none left, and Rosalina could still see Carl making fast work of finishing the leftovers off. She didn’t blame him in the slightest. 

She sat next to Glenn, her hand permanently clutching a bottle of wine, topping the boy’s glass up the minute it started to run low. Her stomach hurt from laughing so hard, watching his face turn a darker shade of scarlet with every glass, the wine overspilling onto the floor around them every time she tipped the bottle in. 

Rosalina herself was on the wrong edge of tipsy, her movements slowed considerably, feeling her head fog. Unlike the rest of the adults, she was sticking closer to the Jack Daniels bottle Edwin had managed to dig out for her, hiding it under the table away from the peering eyes of those around her, taking a long swig every ten minutes or so. She was unaware of Daryl's stare on her face, chuckling to himself at her not so well-hidden actions, sat away from the rest of the group on a counter top.

“You know, in Italy, children have a little bit of wine with their dinner.” Dale informed them, gesturing to Carl. The boy in question was sat between his parents, each of whom were taking advantage of the rare moment of happiness, Rick’s arm swung around the back of Carl’s chair. 

“Watered down!” Rosalina called out, laughing loudly. “Otherwise, he’s right! My Nona Rita used to give me a small glass every night, lightening the amount of water each year I visited.”

“Hold on,” Glenn slurred, slamming his hands down on the table dramatically, the bottles that were lined up onto of the wood shaking at the impact.. “You’re Italian now? I thought you were English!”

His failed attempt at an English accent sent Andrea opposite him into hysterics, Rosalina shoving him gently. “She was my friend’s grandmother, faccia di merda!” 

“Anyway!” Lori yelled, smiling as she interrupted the argument, unable to translate Rosalina’s surprisingly good Italian perfectly, but knowing it wasn’t something she’d ever want Carl to repeat. “Carl is not having a single drop of wine until he happens to step foot in Italy!”

The group groaned, yelling encouragement to Lori. Rick laughed. “What can it hurt? Come on.”

Lori stared at him, disbelieving, but then shrugged, throwing her hands up in the air. They all cheered loudly, clapping when Dale poured Carl a small glass. The young boy dived on it, taking a quick sip. 

Instantly, his face scrunched up in disgust, coughing. The group shook with laughter, Rosalina leaning heavily on Glenn as she rocked back and forth, tears forming in her eyes. “Eww! It tastes nasty!”

“You get used to it.” Rosalina told him from across the table, recovering from her laughing fit, Lori proudly taking Carl’s glass and using it to top up her own. “We’ll start you on something a bit easier next time. Edwin, kind sir, do we have any tequila?”

“No!” Lori and Rick yelled at once, barely able to be heard over the riotous laughter of the group. Rosalina held her hands up defensively, dropping back against her chair with a wink. 

“You stick to soda-pop there, kid.” Shane told him, smiling. “Not you, Glenn!”

“What?” The drunken boy asked, grinning around at the table. It was the most relaxed any of them had ever seen him, with his sluggish movements and easy smile. 

From his counter, Daryl called over, grinning. “Keep drinking. I want to see how red your face can get!”

“I think that calls for another glass!” Rosalina announced, pouring the last of the wine into Glenn’s waiting glass, to the joy of the group. She glanced to Daryl, smirking at him, raising her eyebrows. The redneck seemed surprised, tipping his bottle up to her. She returned the gesture with her own, biting back a genuine smile. 

“Excuse me!” Rick diverted their attention across to him, clinking his fork against his glass, standing up. “It seems to me we haven’t thanked her host properly.”

“Woo, go on dad, give us a speech!” Rosalina teased, ducking out of the way when Rick aimed a scrunched-up napkin at her head, the action oddly childish for the usually serious man. “Sorry, I’m sorry! To our host!”

“Here, here!” They cheered, raising the glasses to Edwin, who sat alone in the corner. He nursed a lone glass of wine, no trace of contentment on his face, unlike his guests.  

Daryl called loudly, holding his beer bottle up in the air, “Booyah!”

“Booyah!” Rosalina repeated with a laugh, missing the awkward reply of Edwin, who raised his glass silently to them. Taking a long, deep swig, Rosalina slammed the empty bottle back down on the table, raising her hands up in a celebratory manner. “Woo!”

“Damn,” T-Dog called over the boisterous noise of the table. “That’s a lotta booze for one little girl.”

“You’d be surprised at how much I can take.” She winked, cocking one eyebrow, laughing at the knowing exclamations of the table. “That’s not how I meant it! Or maybe it is. We’ll never know!”  
“I don’t understand.” Carl said, tugging on Lori’s arm. Hearing him, Rosalina leant forward, shaking her head hurriedly.

“Don’t worry about it, honey, you’ll understand when you’re older.” She assured him, tossing her hair back out of her face.

“Much older.” Lori added, chuckles sounding along the table at the mother’s protectiveness.

The cheerful mood continued through the night, rosy faces with permanent smiles stretched across them looking over at one another. That was until Shane opened his mouth. 

“So, when you gonna tell us what the hell happened here, Doc?” He asked seriously, lowering the tone of the mood in seconds. “All the other doctors that were supposed to be figuring out what happened, where are they?”

Rosalina groaned, sinking down into her chair with her head lolling back over the edge. “Mate, come on. Can we have one night without the heavy crap?”

“She’s right, Shane,” Rick agreed, noting the sudden silence at his question. “We don’t need to do this now.”  
“I’m confused. That is why were here, right?” His persistence irritated Rosalina, and she ahold herself back from saying something, begrudgingly allowing him to carry on talking. “We’re supposed to find all the answers. Instead, we found him. Found one man. Why?”

“Well, when things got bad, a lot of people just left. Went off to be with their families. And when things got worse, when the military cordon got overrun-the rest bolted.” Edwin told them simply, the celebratory mood well and truly lost now.

“Every last one?” Shane pressed, not missing how Rosalina’s green eyes rolled. 

“No. Many couldn’t face walking out the door. They opted out.” His words sent a shiver down Rosalina’s spine. “There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time.”

“You didn’t leave.” Andrea pointed out, oblivious to the tired gazes of those around her. Nobody wanted to hear this, not at the moment anyway. Minutes before they had been poking fun at Glenn and now they were being told about the rush of suicides the changing times had caused. “Why?”

“I just kept working.” Edwin shrugged. “Hoping to do some good.”

“Dude, you are such a buzz kill, man.” Glenn aimed at Shane, his drunken haze destroying the filter from his brain to his mouth, making Rosalina giggle into her hand.

“Glenn, never go back to being sober.” She told him solemnly, resting her head on his shoulder.

The moment of celebration was over, and eventually Edwin decided to lead them to a corridor with a series of doors leading off from it, Rosalina and Daryl both still clutching their bottles. Rosalina followed closely behind Glenn, catching him every time he stumbled. “Most of the facilities powered down, mainly housing, so you’ll have to make-do here. Couches are comfortable, but there are cots in storage if you like. There’s a rec room down the hall that you kids might enjoy, just don’t plug in the video games, okay? Or anything that draws power. Same applies to the rest of you. If you shower, go easy on the hot water.”

Rosalina’s eyes widened, hurriedly questioning. “You have hot water?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged, a small smile on his face. “Goodnight.”

He disappeared, leaving Glenn to turn excitedly to the group, his grin holding child-like wonder. “Hot water?”

“That’s what the man said.” T-Dog whooped. 

Rosalina barged past them, leaning into a room and crying out joyfully. “Dibs first shower bitches! Fuck have I missed a working shower-head!”

The women exchanged looks, laughing. “I didn’t mean it like that!”

She was already pulling over her shirt before she dived into the room, giving everyone a clear view of her black binder that wrapped around her chest, and the black pentagram tattoo that sat on her collarbone. The younger men of the group cheered at the sight, and she flicked them the finger, slamming the door behind her.

Inside the bathroom, she pulled down her jeans and underwear, unstrapping the binder and breathing a sigh of relief as she felt the tight pressure release off her chest. 

Despite Edwin’s warning, she had her shower on full heat, relishing in the feel of the warm water on her skin. When she forced herself to climb out, she elected to just wrap a towel around her body, stepping out of the bathroom with her clothes tucked under her arm. It was strange, how free she felt being able to wander around in a towel, knowing she was completely safe. It was a normal, regular happening that everyone had at some point, and she hadn’t expected for it to ever be snatched from her. Or that she would miss it so. 

“Damn.” She sighed, eyes fluttering closed tiredly. She didn’t notice Daryl round the corner, careering straight into him, her chest hitting his. “Oh, shit. Fuck, sorry.”

“Careful.” Daryl warned her, quickly catching on to the fact she was dressed only in a towel. His eyes lingered on her chest, trying to recall if her figure had always been so prominent. 

“Yes, I took my binder off.” Rosalina confirmed, tiredly nodding, not oblivious to his wandering eyes. “If you can stop staring at my boobs now, I’d be much obliged. They’ll be hidden away again tomorrow.”

“Why?” Daryl asked, unable to stop himself. It was oddly unnerving to see members of the group so relaxed and calm, even the usually cheerful characters like Rosalina.

“Easier to run if it’s all strapped down than risking a wardrobe malfunction with a badly fitting sports bra.” Despite the blatant discussion about her breasts, Rosalina was relaxed, too tired to care as she stepped around Daryl and made her way up the corridor. 

At the last minute, just as she rounded the corner, he called out, “Shame, I kinda like you like this.”

She paused, glancing back with a confused expression, only to see his back as he walked away. “Maybe I’ll have to wander around in a towel more often, give you something to look at.”

“You won’t hear me complaining.” She could hear the smirk in his voice as he rounded the corner, never catching sight of the dark red that flushed her cheeks. 

“Asshole,” She murmured, but there was a small, uncontrollable smile on her lips. “Now, where the hell is my bag?”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Rosalina woke up passed out on the carpet floor of one of the many rooms that had been offered to them as accommodation, a pillow under her head. She was wearing a shirt that wasn’t hers, along with underwear, but that was all. 

Groggily standing, she found the shirt reached down to her mid-thigh, suggesting she hadn’t borrowed it from one of the women of the group. She squinted, eyes blurry due to her hangover, breathing a laugh when she realised it was Glenn’s shirt. Vague memories of the night before floated back into her mind, recalling the boy throwing his shirt at her when she appeared in the doorway of his and T-Dog’s shared room still wearing only a towel.

After that, however, she had little memory of anything else. She seemed to recall someone lifting her head, and then softness of the pillow against her cheek, before passing out entirely. Flickers of her hot shower flashed through her mind, and oddly enough Daryl’s face, smirking. She caught a flash of conversation, but otherwise her mind was blank other than memories of the taste of bourbon on her lips, sliding down her throat. 

Running a hand through her hair in an attempt to tame the wild green mane, stumbling out of the room and managing to recall how to return to the kitchen through the maze of corridors.

Entering the kitchen, she found a group of similarly hungover adults and Carl, who was smirking around at the red-eyed people around him, eating his bacon contentedly. “Morning everybody.”

Lori was the only one to turn to her, eyes immediately flickering down to the shirt she was wearing. Her eyes widened, nudging Rick harshly in the ribs while Rosalina took a seat next to the pale and groaning Glenn. “Never let me drink again.”

“It only gets easier from here, sweetie.” Rosalina promised him, oblivious to the stares she and Glenn were receiving. Rick, having slowly caught on to what his wife was so excited by, bit back a smirk. “C’mon, eat your eggs.”

At the sight of the food on his plate, Glenn gagged, pushing it away from him, the spoon clinking against the metal bowl. Rosalina rolled her eyes, giving him a pat on his back, passing over a glass of water instead. “Drink up.”

“Where did this come from?” Rick asked when Jacqui handed him a small container filled with aspirin, trying and failing to remove the lid. 

“Jenner.” Lori answered, taking it from him and unscrewing the lid with ease, looking up at Glenn meaningfully. “He thought we could use it. Some of us, at least.”

“Don’t ever, ever, ever let me drink again.” Glenn repeated, lying his head down on his arms. 

Rosalina chuckled softly, slowly recovering from the initial impact of her hangover. She supposed it was more a night of uncomfortable sleep than excessive drinking that had knocked her about. “I’m so damn sore.”

Her complaint made Rick snort into his hand, Lori smacking his arm sharply, though she was biting back her own smile. Jacqui cast them a confused look, and Lori gestured for her to come closer just as Shane walked in.

Leaning over, Lori whispered in her ear, “Look at Rose’s shirt. Doesn’t it seem familiar?”

Jacqui’s mouth dropped open, gasping with a smile. Rosalina looked over, tilting her head. “What’s so amazing? My bed-hair? I know, it’s pretty terrifying.”

“No, nothing.” Jacqui assured her, shaking her head, quickly coming up with a lie. “Just remembered I can have a hot shower this morning.”

Unconvinced, Rosalina watched them, slowly forcing herself to turn away with narrow eyes and taking Glenn’s rejected plate of eggs and tucking in. “Hey, what the hell happened to you?”

Shane shook T-Dog off, rubbing the three long scratches on his neck. Rosalina had noticed them when he first walked in, but she didn’t care enough to ask, still annoyed about Shane ruining their fun the night before. “Must have done it in my sleep.”

“Never seen you do that before.” Rick commented casually, glancing up from his breakfast at Shane’s neck. 

“Me neither.” Shane shrugged. “Not like me at all.”

The attention was drawn away from Shane when Edwin walked in, greeting them quietly. “Good morning.”

From the other side of Glenn, Dale piped up, “Doc, I don’t mean to slam you with questions first thing.”

“But you will anyway.” Edwin replied, pouring out his coffee. 

Rosalina’s nose sniffed the air, smelling the strong aroma of black coffee and jumping from her seat, pouncing on the jug in Edwin’s hands. He jumped away, and she gave him an apologetic shrug, taking the jug and tipping it back without any need for a mug. She pulled away, breathing a delighted sigh. “Sorry, it’s been too long since I woke up to hot coffee.”

Without another word, ignoring the concerned glances of those around her, Rosalina sat back down next to Glenn, chugging the coffee from the pot like it was water.

Looking from Rosalina to Edwin, Andrea pushed on. “We didn’t just come here for eggs and coffee. Well, most of us. We came for answers.”

Edwin nodded. “I know. And I’ll give them. But first, I see no reason why we can’t enjoy breakfast first.”

“Amen to that.” Rosalina gave him the thumbs up, her other hand wrapped around the coffee pot handle that she reluctantly put back on the table-top. “I’m going to get dressed.”

“I’m gonna have a shower.” Glenn groaned out, Rosalina helping him up out of his seat with a hand on his back and the other around his arm. “Never, ever-”

“Let you drink again.” They all chorused together, the sudden noise making Glenn wince.

“And don’t be so loud.” He complained, following the laughing Rosalina out of the room. “And you can shut up.”

They passed Daryl as they left, the redneck’s eyes trailing down Rosalina’s legs with a smirk, entering the kitchen to hear a loud exclamation of gossip. “They definitely did!”

“She could’ve just borrowed his shirt.” Jacqui argued, shaking her head at Lori, who was clearly enjoying the distractions the group were providing her away from the world outside. 

Andrea snorted, raising her fork to her lips. “Did you see her hair? You don’t get that from a peaceful night’s sleep. They did it.”

“Rose and Glenn?” T-Dog questioned, Daryl’s head snapping over to him immediately, jaw clenching. “No way, Glenn was in our room when I fell asleep.”

“What about while you were passed out?” Rick asked him, smirking knowingly. “It makes sense, they’ve been close ever since they met.”

“A week ago!” Jacqui pointed out, leaning on the back of Dale’s chair, who was looking extremely uncomfortable with the current discussion. “They barely know each other.”

“But-” Lori was interrupted by a very confused, and growing increasingly frustrated Daryl.

“What the hell are y’all on about?” He demanded, leaning back against the door frame.

T-Dog was the first to explain. “These lot think Glenn and Rose did it just cause she’s wearing his shirt.”

“And the hair.” Andrea added with a nod.

“Plus she made that comment about being ‘sore’.” Lori continued slyly, the three women chuckling to themselves. “I’m convinced.”

“Just ask them.” Rick suggested, the voice of reason within the group as usual. 

Daryl gritted his teeth, shaking his head tensely. “They didn’t. I saw Rose passed out on the floor in one of the rooms about one this morning. I walked past again at five and she hadn't moved. They were both too damn drunk to put anything anywhere, anyway”

Lori sighed dejectedly, Jacqui pulling a disappointed face. “Damn, I was starting to think they would be cute together.”

“I know, right?” Lori agreed, smiling. “Oh well, there’s still time.”

Snatching Rosalina’s abandoned coffee pot, Daryl took a swig, confused when Rick gave him an amused look. “What?”

“Rose just did the exact same thing.” He explained, eating another spoonful of eggs. 

In reply, Daryl grunted, slamming the pot back down and leaving the room. Lori exchanged a look with Jacqui. “Maybe Glenn isn’t the one with an interest in Rose.”

“Daryl?” Jacqui scoffed, shaking her head. “No way. They’re complete opposites. At least her and Glenn are somewhat alike.”

“I’ll bet you one week of washing he likes her.” Lori offered, the pair of them sounding like children in the schoolyard. Those gathered around the table laughed when Jacqui held out her hand, Lori shaking it in agreement with the deal.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Along the marble floors, Rosalina relished in the click of her pointed heels every time she took a step. It was a sound she’d missed, having been permanently trapped in thickly soled boots since the world went to hell-still, at least they were nice boots. 

In fact, everything about her outfit was a reminder of who she had once been. She wore a tight, leather skirt on her bottom accompanied with a pair of tights, a zip running along the front of the skirt. On her top-half, she wore a long-sleeved, thin black top, tucked into the waist-band of her skirt.

Her shoes were the only splash of colour in her appearance, other than her hair of course, the red leather heels standing out against the predominantly white building she walked through to get to the ‘Big room’ as Edwin had called it the day before.

Stepping inside, she found herself the last to arrive, all eyes swivelling around to face her. She looked around apprehensively, finding the accusatory glares of Shane and Andrea particularly unsettling. “Hey, don’t give me that look, I got lost. In case you haven’t notice, this place is a damn maze.”

“It’s fine,” Rick assured her softly. “We were just waiting for you.”

“Aw, thanks.” Her defensive demeanour disappeared, giving him a smile as she stepped down the ramp, joining them in front of the main monitor. In the reflection of one of the blank computer screens, she saw Glenn, T-Dog and Daryl all glance down at her behind, smirking. 

Turning around, she shook her head at them disappointedly, snorting at their sudden interest in the rest of the room, away from her humoured eyes. 

“Vi, give me a playback of subject 19.” Edwin ordered, and on the back wall appeared a wide projection, Rosalina’s attention dragged away from the men. The screen was split into five sections, giving different images of a CT scan inside a brain, coded writing around the screen that was too small to be decipherable. “Few people ever got a chance to see this. Very few.”

“Is that a brain?” Carl asked curiously, an enlarged image of the CT scan taking over the screen. 

“An extraordinary one.” Edwin told him with a smile. But then, when Carl looked away, his smile dropped. “Not that it mattered in the end. Vi, take us in for the EIV.”

“Enhanced internal view.” Rosalina repeated in time with ‘Vi’, earning herself confused looks from those around her. She explained over her shoulder, stepping closer to the image, “I took an extra class in Neurology to help me understand the physical aspects of the brain more.”

The image zoomed further in, passing through the outer layer and giving them a close image of the connecting sensory neurones, the synapses alight with a cool blue colour. “What are those lights?”

“It’s a person’s life.” Edwin explained simply, answering Shane’s question. “Experiences, memories, it’s everything. Somewhere in all that organic wiring, all those ripples of light, is you. The thing that makes you unique and human.”

“You don’t make sense ever?” Daryl questioned, voicing the confusion of the group.

“They’re synapses.” Rosalina translated, head tilted a she stared up at the screen. “They’re electrical impulses that carry messages throughout the brain. Anything that you do, say, think, all of it is caused by those lights. They’re the very basis of who you are.”

“From the moment of birth to the moment of death.” Edwin finished, Rosalina inhaling sharply as she realised what she was being shown.

“This is death.” She murmured, the room quiet enough for all to hear. “You’re showing us the death of your patient.”

He nodded, everybody watching closely as the blue light of the synapses continued to flicker. “Test subject nineteen, who was bitten and infected and volunteered to have us record the process. Vi, scan forward to the first event.”

The video sped up, moving back to the image of the overall brain rather than a close-up. The group watched, silent as they saw branches of black begin to stretch throughout the brain, covering the blue like ivy against a wall. 

“What is that?” Glenn asked, his hangover forgotten for now in his apprehension.

“It invades the brain like meningitis. The adrenal gland haemorrhage. The brain goes into shutdown, then the major organs.” The brain become absorbed in the blackness, and Rosalina read the blue text in the corner of the screen; ‘Patient deceased’. “Then death. Everything you ever were, or ever will be gone.”

“Is that what happened to Jim?” Rosalina’s stomach dropped, hearing Sophia’s innocent question. 

“Yes.” Carol answered honestly, knowing there was no point in lying to her daughter when she would have to learn the truth sooner or later anyway. 

From the side of her, Andrea gave a sudden deep sob, Rosalina turning to see her holding a hand to her stomach. Edwin gave them all a questioning look, Lori answering, “She lost somebody two days ago. Her sister.”

Crossing the room, Edwin leaned towards her. “I lost someone myself. I know how devastating it is.”

They shared a look of understanding, Edwin turning back to the screen. “Scan to the second event.”

The feed fast-forwarded. “The resurrection times vary wildly. We have reports of it happening in as little as three minutes. The longest we heard of was eight hours. In the case of this patient, it was two hours, one minute, seven seconds.”

His exact recollection of the time triggered a warning in Rosalina’s mind, never able to separated the psychologist from the normal. Edwin knew this patient, and this particular feed had sentimental value to him. Why else would he have chosen this specific patient to show them?

But her thought track was distracted, brow furrowing as she saw the lifeless brain begin to show sparks of movement. But the lights that appeared now were nothing like the light blue of the synapses they had seen moments before. It was dark red dots, forming at the start of the spinal cord, spreading out like ants escaping a nest. “So, it sends impulses to the body, but the brain is otherwise non-functional? There’s no traces of the prior person left?”

“Exactly.” Edwin nodded, Andrea’s sniffling tightening the knot growing in Rosalina’s stomach. “It basically just gets them up and moving.”

“But they’re not alive?” Rick pressed, confused. Edwin stepped back, facing him and holding his arm up to the screen.

“You tell me.”

“It’s nothing like before,” Rick noted. “Most of the brain is dark.”

“Dark, lifeless, dead.” Edwin listed off. “The frontal lobe, the neocortex, the human part, that doesn’t come back-the you part. Just a shell driven by mindless instinct.”

Suddenly, a flash of blue shot through the brain, creating a tear all the way through, shocking the group. Rosalina held a hand to her mouth, hearing Carol ask, “God, what was that?”

“A bullet.” She replied, running a hand through her hair as she turned to Edwin. “You shot them, didn’t you?”

Edwin didn’t answer, simply conforming Rosalina’s statement to be true. “Vi, power down the main screen and the workstations.”

The blue light of the many monitors faded to black, the quiet buzz that had been created by the computers lost and leaving them with an unnerving silence, broken only by the sounds of heavy breathing and Andrea’s accusing voice. “You have no idea what it is, do you?”

“It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal.” The doctor shrugged.

From across the room, leaning on a computer, Jacqui sarcastically suggested, “Or the wrath of God?”

“Somebody must know something, somebody somewhere.” Andrea insisted, desperate to hear something to give them hope. “There are others right? Other facilities?"

But Edwin just stared at her, silently resigned to their miserable fate. “There may be some. People like me.”

“But you don’t know?” Somehow, Rick managed to keep the panic from his voice, all too aware of the frightened faces around him. “How can you not know?”

“Everything went down-communications, directives, all of it. I’ve been in the dark for almost a month.” His blank, uncaring tone was making Rosalina’s blood rile, struggling to hold down her frustration.  

“So, what?” Her voice was harsh, a bitter edge that could challenge even Andrea’s. “That’s it? Out of the whole world, you’re the only person still standing? Fuck this.”

“I’m getting shit faced drunk again.” Daryl mumbled from across the room, leaning his head down against his arms, pressed on the desk next to him. 

Around her, there were whispers of agreement. But Rosalina’s attention had been captured by something else now, something with bold red numbers that had reached 00:59:59. “The clock.”

“Rose?” Carol asked, seeing the girl’s eyes fixated on the wall. “Are you okay?”

“No,” She shook her head, honestly, starting to talk too quickly for the younger ones to keep up. “Ever since we got here, something was niggling in my mind. Why the reluctance? He’s been reluctant about letting us in from the start, not because he feared we carried the virus but because of something he was waiting for. He stuck around for something, something important, otherwise by now his brains would be spread on that back wall like everybody else’s so what I really need to ask now is what happens when that countdown hits zero?”

Her speedy thought track left their brain’s whirring, but Edwin just stared at her grimly. “The basement generators, they run out of fuel.”

“But what does that mean?” Her words were aimed at herself more than the doctor, turning to Rick, her heart still thumping in her ears. “What does it mean?”

“I don’t know,” He answered truthfully, concern in his eyes at Rosalina’s sudden manic episode. “Vi, what happens when the generators shut down?”

“Facility wide decontamination.” Immediately, Rick’s eyes went to Rosalina, but she could only shrug helplessly.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know.” She apologised, just as confused as him. “But I’m guessing we’re not gonna want to be around for when ‘decontamination’ happens.”

“The generators,” He started, a plan forming. “I’m going down to take a look, see if there’s any way to slow this down. I need to take a few people with me.”

T-Dog, Glenn and Shane were the first to volunteer. Rick looked to Rosalina, but she shook her head. “I’m not a mechanic, I’m sorry. I’ll be useless down there.” 

Rick nodded understandingly, gesturing for the three volunteers to follow him. “We’ll be back soon.”

“Good luck.” When there group of four left, Rosalina turned her attention to Carol and Lori, making her way across to them and keeping her voice low enough for their two children not to hear. “Listen, you need to get these two out of here. Everyone is going to start panicking any second now, and having kids around is just going to make that worse. Take them to the rec room or where you slept last night, but don’t keep them here.”

“She’s right,” Lori told Carol, the pair exchanging a look of understanding. “But can you at least promise to keep us updated on what’s going on?”

“Of course.” Rosalina agreed. They nodded to her, ushering their children out of the room casually, Rosalina waiting until the last moment to turn her words to the rest of the group. “There’s no point waiting around here. We’ll know more when Rick and the rest return, but for now you may as well go back to your rooms or even the kitchen, your choice. I’d just like to suggest we don’t all gather here.”

“But what’s going on?” Andrea stubbornly pressed.

In reply, Rosalina flung her arms out, shaking her head. “Right now, we’re not sure, I won’t lie to you, you saw as much. But they’re working on it. I promise, we’ll have answers soon, but for the time being we might as well relax.”

Daryl jumped down from a surface top, the loud slam of his feet on the floor making several members of the group jump. “Time to get shit-faced drunk.”

When he began to leave the room, Rosalina gestured after him, raising her eyebrows. “See? This is the sort of example I expect the rest of you to follow. If you need me, I’ll be wherever the booze is, okay? Brilliant.”

Speeding across the floor as fast as her heels would allow her, Rosalina flew out of the door, slowing her pace when she caught up with Daryl. “Do you mind a little company?”

“Depends, you gonna talk?” She snorted, rolling her eyes. 

“Depends, you gonna say something stupid?” She shot back at him, side-eyeing him in annoyance. Despite the relatively high heels, she was still a good two inches shorter than him, the top of her head only just reaching his nose. “Right now, I just want to neck a damn bottle of bourbon away from all of this drama.”

“Ain’t got no bourbon,” He informed her, coming to a stop in front of his room door. He leaned against it, hand on the handle as he looked back at her. “How’s whiskey for ya?”

“Done.” 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Alright, I’m cutting you off.” Chuckling to himself, Daryl pulled the nearly empty bottle from Rosalina’s grip, rolling his eyes at the childish way she stuck her tongue out in response. “You’ve nearly drank me dry, I’m meant to be the one getting shit faced drunk here.”

“Oh, boo hoo motherfucker.” Her eyes were drooping, resting her chin against her hands. They were both sat in the middle of the floor, Rosalina with her legs crossed and Daryl slumped back against the wall, his legs pressed against her right side. “Do you wanna know the last time I got to have a damn binge weekend? About eight months ago. Eight damn months. So I’m making up for it.”

“You don’t say,” He muttered sarcastically, voice muffled by the bottle that he pressed to his lips, swallowing a sip, stinging his throat. “Just don’t point the blame at me when you throw up on yourself later.”

She gave him a sarcastic smile, her head dropping forward. She pulled back up with a start, not having expected her body to feel so loose. “Okay, you’re probably right to cut me off. But, I’ve been told I’m a hilarious drunk.”

“Can’t beat the asian kid.” He disagreed, raising the bottle up with a smirk. “Although I reckon you’ll probably be in better shape than he was this morning after last night.”

“He was so hungover.” She giggled, leaning back against the bed behind her head, shoulders shaking with laughter.

Suddenly, the lights in the room dimmed, leaving them in almost complete darkness. “What the fuck?”

Daryl stood up, bottle still clutched in his hand, making his way to the door. Rosalina stumbled after him, tripping over her own feet and pushing into him. “Sorry!”

“It’s fine.” He wasn’t paying attention, wrapping an arm around her waist subconsciously to keep her steady. Her one arm wrapped around his shoulder, the other leaning against the wall. 

Along the hallway, the others had appeared, Edwin walking through them all. “Why have all the lights gone out in our rooms?”

“Yeah.” Daryl nodded along to Andrea’s question, face scrunching in surprise when Edwin’s hand shot out to grab the bottle from him, walking on. “Oi!”

“Energy usage is being prioritised.” Edwin explained, a train forming behind him, Rosalina still leaning heavily on Daryl as they followed the doctor down the hallway. “Zone five is shutting itself down.”

The moment the words left his mouth, the hallway lights turned themselves off. “Great, we’re in a horror movie.”

Ignoring Rosalina’s comment, Daryl pulled himself away from her, storming up to Edwin. He didn’t notice her slip, barely caught by Lori, whose nose scrunched at the stale smell of whiskey on the younger woman’s face. “Take your heels off. You’re going to break your neck walking in those like this.”

“You may have a point.” Rosalina deduced, kicking off the heels as they walked, leaving them in the middle of the hallway. Immediately her balance became steady, though her head still spun. “Whoa, head-rush.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Daryl demanded from Edwin, Rosalina nodding to Lori behind them to let her go, able to keep up on her own. “What do you mean, it’s shutting itself down? How can a building do anything?”

“Well, duh,” Rosalina slurred, all pairs of eyes flickering to her as they continued to storm through the building. “It’s all hooked up to one mainframe. Controls the lights, the heat, the doors. High-tech place like this? It’s gonna have some swanky stuff.”

Out of everything she said, there was only one thing Daryl could focus on. “Did you actually just use the word ‘swanky’?”

“Regretting it already!” She grinned, but it was wiped from her face when they entered the main control room. The lights had dimmed considerably, making it hard to clearly make out the outline of anything. At least, that was what she blamed her wandering straight into a computer desk on.

“Bloody hell.” She cursed, clutching her side, pain jarring all the way up her body. “That’s going to leave a hell of a bruise.” 

Nobody was listening to her quiet complaints, however, because Rick, Shane, Glenn and T-Dog soon came thundering through the entrance. “Jenner, what’s happening?”

“The system is dropping all nonessential uses of power. It’s designed to keep the computer running to the last possible second.” Edwin explained, falling into step with Rick, taking a quick sip of the bottle he had stolen from Daryl. “It starts as we approach the half hour mark. Right on schedule.”

Glancing up at the ominous clock on the wall, Rosalina inhaled sharply, the numbers now reading 00:31:37. “It was the French.”

“Pardon?” Edwin’s abrupt statement left them all confused, Rosalina the first to question him, slowly feeling herself sober up under the grim conditions. 

“They were the last ones to hold out as far as I know. While our people were bolting their doors and committing suicide in the hallways, they stayed in the labs until the end. They thought they were close to a solution.” He finished, missing the shadow the briefly crossed Rosalina’s face.

Holding onto a railing closest to her, she asked before anyone else could put forth their own questions, “What about the British? What happened to them?”

Apologetic, Edwin shook his head. “They were one of the first to cut communications. I’m sorry.”

Feeling Carol’s comforting arm on her shoulder, Rosalina only nodded solemnly, pressing her lips together. Her eyes were watering, but she wiped at them furiously, keeping her grief bottled for the time being. 

“What happened to the French?” Jacqui questioned, casting a sympathetic glance across to Rosalina as she did. 

“The same thing that happened here, no power grid. Ran out of juice.” Edwin replied with a shrug, handing Daryl his empty bottle back. He snatched it away from the doctor’s hands. “The world runs on fossil fuel. I mean, how stupid is that?”

Fuming, Shane jumped forward. “Let me tell you something-”

“To hell with this, Shane!” Rick grabbed ahold of his friend’s arm, his gun drawn. Turning back, he pointed to Lori. “Lori, grab out things. Everybody get your stuff. We’re getting out of here. Now!”

His anxious yelling prompted them to move quickly, rushing to the doors when a ringing alarm sounded, making Rosalina wince, her sensitive head already throbbing. “What the hell is that?”

The group froze, spinning around to look at the main screen. The same clock on the wall had been projected in large red numbers, reading 00:29:59 and counting down. Over the speakers, Vi said, “Thirty minutes to decontamination.”

Rick began to demand answers from Edwin, while at the same time Shane called to the panicked group, “Everybody, y’all heard Rick. Get you stuff and let’s go! Go now!”

“Come on!” T-Dog encouraged, Rosalina running with the rest fo them to the door, the alarm making her head ache painfully. 

They were almost at the doors, when the metal shields rose up, blocking off every exit in the room, trapping them inside. “Did you just lock us in? He just locked us in!”

Glenn’s terrified yells forced Daryl to spin around, storming up to Edwin as fast as he could, grabbing his collar and slamming him onto the ground with force. He stared up at him, almost uncaring, not fearful of the threatening growl that left his lips. “You son of a bitch.”

“Shane!” Rick called, and Daryl felt arms wrap around his waist, forcing him away from the scientist, who quickly scrambled up off the floor and back to the computer closest to him. 

“Get the fuck off me, you son of a bitch!” He fought against his grip, thrashing about furiously in Shane’s arms. “I said get off!”

Aiming a sharp kick backwards, Shane doubled over with a groan, his legs crossing protectively over his throbbing parts. Daryl flew forwards, reaching to snatch at Edwin’s lab coat again, only for T-Dog to appear from the side and forcibly pull him away, crossing his arms behind his back and holding his at a distance from his body, trapping him in place. In the background, Rosalina sat herself down at a computer, glancing over her shoulder at the chaos as she waited for it to load. 

Ignoring Daryl’s yelling, Rick charged up to Edwin, demanding, “Jenner, open those doors right now.”

“No point now. Everything top side is locked down.” His words turned the group pale, only Rosalina ignoring them. Her fingers were flying furiously fast against a keyboard, desperately searching through the various files available to her. “The emergency exits are sealed.” 

“Well then open the damn things!” Rick yelled. 

“That’s not something I control. The computers do.”

“Then I’m looking in the right place.” Rosalina murmured. Over her shoulder, Sophia was silently watched her actions, biting her thumbnail nervously. 

“I told you,” Edwin was unapologetic with his words. “One that front door closed, it wouldn’t open again. You heard me say that. It’s better this way.”

“What is?” Rick asked him, almost spitting in his face. “What happens in twenty-eight minutes?”

When he didn’t answer straight away, Shane kicked the back of his chair, causing the scientist to jump up furiously. “You know what this place is? We protected the public from very nasty stuff! Weaponised smallpox! Ebola strains that could wipe out half the country! Stuff you don’t want getting out, ever!”

His yelling stopped, eyes closing briefly as he dropped back down into his chair, continuing with more of a calm manner, “In the event of a catastrophic power failure, or a terrorist attack, for example, HITs are deployed to prevent any organisms from getting out.”

Rosalina froze, her fingers hovering above the keyboard. Rick was the first to ask. “What are HITs?”

Dejectedly, Edwin called out. “Vi, find.” 

“High-Impulse Thermo basic fuel air explosives consist of a two-stage aerosol ignition that produces a blast wave of significantly greater power and duration the any other known explosive except nuclear.” Vi informed them, terrified gasps sounding throughout the room. “The vacuum pressure effect ignites the oxygen between 5000 and 6000 degrees, and is useful when the greatest loss of life and damage to structures is desired.” 

Rosalina rubbed her hand across her face, the family and friends around her hugging one another tightly. “It sets the air on fire.”

Her simplified version of Vi’s words drew a sob from Carol, who grabbed Sophia, holding her tightly. Across the room, Edwin muttered. “No pain. An end to sorrow, grief, regret. Everything.”

Slamming her hands onto the desk, Rosalina stood, turning to glower at Edwin. “Fuck this. We didn’t consent to your suicide pact! If you keep those doors locked, you’re murdering everyone in this room. So for fucks sake, let us out!”

He looked at her blankly. “I told you, I don’t control that.”

“Agh!” Rosalina screamed in frustration, dropping back into the chair. “Alright, listen up everyone. I want yo all working on getting through that door. Kick it, pull on it, throw yourself at it, I don’t care. Just do something. Anyone who worked with computers before this, get your arse over here and help me!”

The group sectioned off, Lori, Carol and their children huddling together in the corner, comforting one another through their tears. Rick, Shane and Daryl worked furiously hard at battering the main doors, slamming any weapon they could find against it. In the corner, Jacqui stood nervously glancing over Rosalina’s shoulder, offering help wherever she could. “You should have left well alone. Would’ve been so much easier.”

“Easier for who?” Carol sobbed back at Edwin, her face red and blotchy with tears.

“All of you. You know what’s out there. A short, brutal life, and an agonising death. Your sister,” He turned to Andrea, Rosalina’s jaw clenching as she listen to what was happening behind her. “What was her name?”

“Amy.” The mourning sister muttered in reply.

“Amy. You know what this does. You’ve seen it.” When Rick walked back over, he turned to him instead. “Is that really what you want for your wife and son?”

“I don’t want this.” Rick breathed angrily. 

Shane stormed back over, panting, “Can’t make a dent.”

In an ‘obvious’ tone of voice, Edwin said, “Those doors are designed to withstand a rocket launcher.”

Swinging his axe backwards, Daryl yelled out, “Well your head ain’t!”

“Whoa!” Rick, Shane, T-Dog and Dale all ran forwards, holding the redneck back from driving the weapon through Edwin’s head. Rosalina didn’t even bat an eyelid, biting back a smirk. 

“You do want this,” Edwin insisted, still talking to Rick, acting as though the attempt on his life hadn’t happened. “Last night, you said you knew it was just a matter of time before everybody you loved was dead.”

Rosalina scrunched her face up, spinning around. Rick was looking around at the group apprehensively, clearly not having expected his own words to be repeated back to any of them, especially his family. “What, you really said that after all your big talk?”

“Oh, shut your face, Shane.” Rosalina scoffed. “Everybody has thoughts like those these days, you can’t help it. He was keeping hope alive.”

“There is no hope,” Edwin’s constant persistence was driving Rosalina insane, shooting him a deadly glare full of complete and total loathing. “There never was.”

“There’s always hope.” Rick stated, gratefully nodding to Rosalina for standing up for him. “Maybe it won’t be you, maybe not here. But somebody, somewhere.”

“What part of everything’s gone do you not understand?” Andrea snapped pessimistically.

Rosalina was the first to respond. “We’re still here, aren’t we? Yes, we’ve all counted our own losses, but we’re still breathing. So the part I don’t understand is the ‘everything’s gone’, because it isn’t. Not while we’re still standing.”

“Listen to your friend,” Edwin pleaded with Rosalina, noticing the group had straightened at her words, faces set determinedly. “This is what take us down. This is our extinction event.”

Rosalina scoffed, swivelling the chair back around. “Fuck that bullshit, I’m getting us out of here, no matter what you pessimistic assholes have to say.”

From her corner, Carol cried out, “This isn’t right! You can’t just keep us here!”

“One tiny moment, a millisecond, no pain.” Edwin’s peaceful description was interrupted by Carol releasing another loud sob. 

“My daughter doesn’t deserve to die like this.” Her words spurred the others on, Rosalina’s fingers clicking through the pages quicker, Shane standing up and snatching a gun off the side. 

“Wouldn’t it be kinder, more compassionate to just hold your loved ones and wait for the clock to run down?” Edwin stopped, seeing Shane storming up to him with the gun raised. 

Immediately, Rick and Dale moved to hold him back, but he forced his way through, standing with the gun aimed at Edwin’s face. “Open that door, or I’m going to blow your head off!”

“Brother, brother, this is not the way you do this.” Rick tried to talk him down. “If he dies, we all die.”

Suddenly, Shane let out an agonised scream, firing rapidly at the computers in the room. Rosalina let out a cry of surprise, ducking under the table, Jacqui hiding with her, clutching one another fearfully. Around the room, the others did the same. 

Rick forced the gun from the crazed man's hands, pushing him onto the ground and pressing his foot against his chest. This gave Carol, Sophia, Lori and Carl the chance to scramble away, the younger two shaking in fear. “You done?”

“Yeah, I guess we all are.” Shane spat back up at him. Rick stared down at him, shaking his head, handing the gun to T-Dog and facing Edwin.

“I think you’re lying.” He announced, Rosalina taking that as her cue to return to the computer. It was only now that she wished she’d taken computer science rather than art in secondary school. “About no hope. If that were true, you’d have bolted with the rest and taken the easy way out. You didn’t. You chose the hard path. Why?”

“Not because I wanted to.” Edwin confessed. “I made a promise to my wife.”

“Test subject nineteen.” Rosalina breathed from where she sat, her earlier thoughts confirmed. Despite her quiet voice, the group all heard her, and when she glanced around at the sudden silence she saw the confused expressions-except for Edwin. He just watched blankly. “I’m sorry, but I worked it out earlier. You showed that particular feed because you have an emotional attachment to it, otherwise you wouldn’t have been so specific. I knew it was someone you’d lost, I just didn't no for certain. I’m sorry.”

Edwin nodded. “She begged me to keep going as long as I could. How could I say no? She was dying. It should have been me on that table. I wouldn’t have mattered to anybody. She was a loss to the world! Hell, she ran this place. I just worked here. In our field, she was an Einstein. Me, I’m just Edwin Jenner. She could have done something about this. Not me.”

Waiting until he was finished, Rosalina finally spoke up. “I’m sorry for your loss, and I’m sorry for what you've dealt with. But right now, I need your keycard.”

Behind her head, anyone facing the screen could see the access code to the doors in the room, Lori releasing a loud breath of relief at the sight. T-Dog and Shane dived forward, searching the man, T-Dog quickly throwing the card through the air to Rosalina. She grabbed it, forcing it into the pad attached to the computer, speaking as she typed. “I couldn’t get the main door access in reception, but this should do something at least.”

The moment she finished her sentence, the heavy metal door swung upwards, revealing their exit. “Yes!”

Everybody released exclamations of joy, with the exception of only a few. “Lets go! Come on!”

Daryl was the first to the door, the rest quickly rushing after him, Rosalina included. But when she got half-way across the room, she stopped, turning back to see Rick, Jacqui, Jenner and Andrea all still stood in place. “Guys, come on. We need to go, now!”

Jenner and Rick ignored her, Rosalina seeing the doctor whisper something in Rick’s ear that turned him pale. 

Seeing that Jacqui was dragging behind, T-Dog ran back down, pulling her up the ramp but the woman shoved him away. “No, I’m staying. I’m staying, sweetie.”

“That’s insane!” T-Dog hissed, pulling on her arm desperately.

But Jacqui wouldn’t relent, “It’s completely sane, for the first time in a long time. I’m not ending up like Kim and Amy. It’s no time to argue, and no point, not if you want to get out. Just get out.”

Rosalina ran down the ramp, hurriedly hugging the woman as T-Dog was dragged away, pressing her lips to each of her cheeks. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure, go.” She insisted, pushing Rosalina away. But the younger girl lingered uncertainly, only for Glenn to run forward, snatching her hand and pulling her past Dale, who stood staring at Jacqui and Andrea worriedly. 

“We have to go, now.” He insisted when she gave him a furious look. She relented, running alongside him down the dark halls. Each of them dived into their rooms, grabbing what bags they could carry, quickly hurrying back out and taking off running again. Rosalina stopped, snatching her heels off the floor and continuing to race, finally reaching the dimly lit reception area. 

T-Dog was the first to reach the doors, slamming his fists down on them, finding them locked and bolted. “Shoot the doors open!”

“It’ll never work!” Rosalina called out, gesturing Shane and Daryl to the windows. “Use those damn axes and get through that glass. It’ll be tough but you should be able to make a big enough dent to shove through. I’ll try and guess the access code based on the one I used in the other room. I doubt it’ll be that different. Go!”

They ran to their separate areas, T-Dog grabbing a chair and pummelling the glass windows. But he didn’t even make a crack, and Rosalina was starting to panic as she tried every six digit code with the same numbers as those she had already used on the keypad. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

Behind her, Shane fired at the glass with his gun, cursing in frustration when the bullet edge itself in the glass but did little damage. Then, Carol approached Rick, holding her bag. “Rick, I have something that might help.”

“Carol, I don’t think a nail file’s going to do it.” Shane dismissed condescendingly, Rosalina twisting her head to see Carol produce a metal grenade. 

“Your first morning at camp, when I washed your uniform, I found this in your pocket.”

Rick took it, looking ready to laugh in relief, rushing to the window and kneeling down. Rosalina ran back, slipping into place next to Daryl, the group kneeling down away from the impact the grenade surely had to make. “Look out!”

Pulling the pin, Rick sprinted away from the window, the impact of the explosion still managing to take him off his feet. The boom of the grenade was accompanied by the shattering of glass, the window collapsing down onto the floor. “Yes!”

“Come on!” Rosalina yelled, the rest running out in front of her and through the window. In her bare feet, she tried carefully to tread through the shattered glass, moving too slowly to keep up with the others. Then, hands wrapped around the back of her knees and neck, picking her up bridal style to carry her through the glass and out of the window. 

Looking up, startled, Rosalina found Daryl glancing around them, his grip on her tight. “Who the hell wears high heels in the apocalypse?”

“Me, clearly.” She smiled, grateful when he stood her back down on the mainly smooth ground. “Thanks.”

He grunted in reply, firing at a walker that neared towards them. “Come on.”

They took off running, catching up with the rest quickly. They all jumped into their cars, Daryl swinging Rosalina’s motorbike back into his truck with his own, gesturing for her to climb into the passenger’s seat. She obliged, glancing back at the building as she climbed in to see Andrea and Dale rushing towards them. 

Daryl jumped into the seat next to her, both pairs of eyes watching tensely as Dale and Andrea continued to run, still too close to the building for comfort. The explosion ticked closer and closer, Rosalina’s grip on the seat beneath her growing tighter with every second. “Come on, come on.”

In front, Lori leaned out the truck, yelling out, “Dale, get down!”

At the words, everybody in the group ducked, whether they were out in the road or in the cars. Rosalina threw herself down on the seat, Daryl leaning over her, his arms over their heads protectively as the explosion boomed, destroying the building, shaking the ground the truck sat on. 

Rosalina tensed, feeling Daryl’s arm draw closer to her, keeping her in place. She glanced through the narrow gap, seeing the rubble and flames flying through the air, plummeting around them. Unintentionally, she burrowed further against him.

Finally, the sound of crashing rubble began to fade, Rosalina’s heart starting to return to it’s regular pace. 

Breathing heavily, Daryl sat up slowly, Rosalina doing the same. They stared in shock at the dramatic impact the bomb had on their surroundings, considering how close their escape had been. “Fucking hell.”

“You can say that again.” Daryl muttered, seeing Dale and Andrea running up to the RV, climbing inside. “So what happens now?”

“We follow Rick.” Rosalina shrugged, fixated on the flames that roared at least twenty feet high in the air, her mind flickering to Jacqui and Edwin sadly. “And get away from this place, cause that blast is going to be dragging in walkers for miles.”

Daryl nodded in agreement, pulling out when Rick started driving, the whole convoy following after him. “Then lets go.”


	6. Teenage temper-tantrums and bull-shit excuses

After a few hours driving, Rick ordered the group to pull over down a quiet street, giving them all an opportunity to move their legs. 

Rosalina, who had been sat silently next to Daryl for the whole journey, a strange tension lingering in the air between them, almost threw herself out of the truck. Inhaling sharply, she winked at the confused look shot at her by Glenn for her dramatics, ignoring the sound of the opposite truck door being slammed closed, Daryl walking around to lean against the truck next to her. 

“I think that was the longest you’ve ever been quiet.” He murmured to her, leaning his head down while keeping his eyes on the rest of the group as they assembled themselves around where Rick stood at the RV doorway. 

“I think it’s your presence, it has a very draining effect on me.” She replied, one hand dropping down at her side and the other resting lightly on her belt. “Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to make it up to you, love.”

“I wish I hadn’t said anything now.” Daryl’s tone was serious, but Rosalina caught the sight of a smirk pulling up on his mouth in the corner of her eye. 

Before she could cuttingly respond, Rick called for the group’s attention, silence falling over them all. “I think our best step forward now is to make our way to Fort Benning.”

Immediately, there was an outbreak of arguments, Rick holding his hands up to try and keep the peace. “I know, it’s a long journey, but I don’t see what other choice we have! I worked it out, and if we pack together more tightly and leave some of the vehicles behind, we’ll have enough fuel to get us there, and we can always pick up more food when we get further into the city. If anyone has any other ideas, I’m more than open to them however!”

For once, there was complete silence, without even the quietest of muttered complaints. Rosalina snorted, applauding. “Wow, you all actually shut up, it’s a god damn miracle.”

“Rose,” Rick shook his head, his warning tone accompanied by a nudge in the hips by Daryl. “Not the time.” 

Resisting the urge to groan, Rosalina nodded. “Fine, my apologies. I think the question here though is, which cars do we ditch and who goes with who?” 

“I can ditch the truck,” Daryl voiced, patting the rusty vehicle with his hand, create a loud metallic thump. “I’ll ride my bike and one of the rest of you will have to take Rose and our stuff.”

“You’ll just have to take the stuff, I can ride my bike too,” She disagreed, glancing over her shoulder happily at the gleaming motorcycle. When she turned back however, she was met with an apologetic Rick. “Oh, come on!”

“I’m sorry, but it uses up too much fuel,” He apologised with a shrug. “The RV needs whatever it can get, and there’s more than enough space for you to travel with someone else.”

Rosalina scoffed, kicking the ground sulkily, ignoring Daryl’s muffled chuckle beside her. “This is such bull-shit.”

While still seeming upset at having angered Rosalina, Rick carried on, giving the last of his orders before they would set off again. “Dale, Jacqui, Andrea, Glenn and T-Dog can all travel in the RV, and you guys can fit in Daryl and Rose’s stuff. Myself, Lori and Carl can take Carol and Sophia in our car, and then that leaves Daryl on his motorbike and Shane in his jeep. Rose, you’ve got your free pick of who you go with.”

“Whatever.” She mumbled, acting like a moody teenager. Over her head, Daryl and Shane shared a look, knowing they were the only two that could fit her in. Around the group, the others laughed at the silent battle being argued between the men.

“I’m not taking her, I’ve dealt with her all morning!” Daryl furiously mouthed, eyes flittering down to where Rosalina had sunk down onto the floor, her back up against the truck and her mouth curled into a grimace. 

Shane glowered at him, before speaking up loudly, “I can take all of their stuff, don't bother loading up the RV anymore. I’ve got a spare seat next to me anyway, and then Rose can go with Daryl on his bike as a substitute for losing her own.”

The glare Daryl shot at Shane was fuelled with fury that could arguably kill a man, the fuming man slamming his hand down against the truck before storming around to angrily yank the back open and set his motorcycle on the ground. 

Rosalina didn’t look up during any of this, fighting back the temptation to flinch at the loud bangs that shook through the truck, hurting her ears. Still with her eyes downcast, she spoke up, “Something tells me Dixon doesn’t want me riding along with him.”

“Well, he’ll just have to deal,” Rick decided firmly, knowing it was a logical plan. “We’ll divide up the fuel from the cars so that we all have full tanks. Anything left we’ll keep in containers to keep us going. A few of us can stop in the main part of the city and pick up supplies, but not the whole group as the more of us there are, the greater the risk. Lets get going.”

While those that actually knew anything about cars set to work, Rosalina began lugging her bags and heavier weapons over to Shane’s jeep, dumping them into the passenger’s seat and pulling out her usual outfit and kicking everybody out of the RV with one deadly look to get changed. By the time she was ready, her mood had started to lift, even managing a smirk when she made her way over to the silently glaring Daryl sat atop his motorbike.

“So, should I continue with silence or am I okay to talk?” She asked, stopping uncertainly a few feet away from the vehicle and its owner. 

He grunted. “Depends, what sort of mood are you in?”

“Well, I’m still pretty freaking pissed, but at the same time I know the General’s right.” Her explanation was accompanied with a hand running through her hair awkwardly, unsure of how to act. For some reason, her mind was thinking only about the way Daryl’s arms had been wrapped protectively over her hours before, and how close they’d both been, so-

Her thought track was cut off. “And that helps, knowing he’s right?”

Rosalina’s sarcastic laugh managed to make Daryl’s mouth twitch, almost into a smile. But not quite. “No, if anything it rubs salt into the wound. But I’m supposed to be the logical one around here, so I can’t be having dramatic teenage hissy fits every time I don’t get my way. And neither can you, which is why we’re gonna deal with this journey like adults, and not hit and kick and pull each other’s hair every chance we get.”

Rosalina didn’t understand the smirk Daryl shot her way, twisting his head to face her. “Your accent, does it always slip like that when you’re annoyed?”

She hadn’t even noticed her voice lose it’s stern English accent, swapping instead for a biting southern drawl. Her cheeks coloured. “Shut the fuck up, Dixon.”

“What happened to acting like an adult?” He taunted, daring her to take the bite, and while her eyes narrowed she managed to keep the lid on her temper. Composing her face, she simply smiled in response.

“Sorry,” She forced out, almost sounding sincere but there was an angry undertone to her words, making it sound harsh. Turning her back on the smug man, she spoke out to the group, who were finishing their tasks. “Shall we go then?”

“We’re all set,” Rick confirmed with a nod, standing at the door to his car, the two children and their mothers already inside. “Daryl and Rose can take the lead, followed by us, then Dale and the RV. Shane, you bring up the rear.”

“Sir yes sir!” Rosalina mocked with a grin, Rick and the rest grateful to see her quick return to normal after her childish sulk. 

Spinning back around, Rosalina stepped up to the motorbike, swinging one leg around the other side and sitting down. Her legs rested loosely on either side of Daryl’s hips, gingerly placing her arms around his waist. With his face hidden from her observant eyes, Daryl smirked, moving his hands down to her knees, forcing them tighter against him, doing the same with her arms. “If you wanna stay on, you better hold on.”

“Just drive, Dixon.” He could perfectly picture the scarlet blush on her cheeks, snorting quietly to himself before the engine roared to life, kicking off and speedily making his way down the street. 

Rosalina let out a scream of surprise, not having expected him to kick off so quickly, her arms and legs tightening their grip, fingers clutching the dirty checked vest top Daryl wore under his leather. It took all of Daryl’s willpower not to stop there and then to laugh at her until she got so angry her cheeks turned a furious red like they did every time she tackled him. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ride out of the city ran with surprising smoothness, Glenn and Rosalina being the only ones allowed out to snatch what they could before starting off again, Daryl pretending her couldn’t feel a book pressed against his back underneath Rosalina’s jacket.

Eventually, they found themselves driving down a highway road, the convoy slowing upon seeing the tens of cars littered across the road. All were abandoned, the doors flung open and clearly left in a sudden hurry. Rosalina shivered as Daryl slowly drove past one, seeing a teddy bear left on the backseat. Her grip tightened. 

Her and Daryl were still leading the way, weaving in and out of the scattered path of cars, Dale following behind them closely in his RV. Besides the purr of the engine, there was no noise, not even the croaking of birds overhead. It was eery, setting Rosalina on edge.

“Walker attack?” She questioned quietly, feeling uncomfortable breaking the silence.

“Seems like it.” Daryl muttered back, sharing her unease. 

They continued to drive, Rosalina biting down hard on her lip as they went past on old Sedan with a family lying lifeless and rotted still in the seats, Daryl noticed too, and sped up slightly to get passed them quicker. 

Suddenly, behind them, Rosalina heard a loud clink of metal, followed by the whooshing of air. Tightening her grip to get Daryl to stop, she turned back to see the RV’s engine blowing steam out. “Shit.”

The group all pulled to a stop, gathering around the RV to survey the damage, Dale muttering in annoyance. “I said it. I said it a thousand times, dead in the water.”

“Problem, Dale?” Rick questioned, jogging up from behind. 

“Oh just the small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no hope of,” Dale paused his pessimistic rant to look around at his surroundings, which was full of spare car parts. “Okay, that was dumb.”

“Just a bit.” Rosalina giggled, sending a smile over to Sophia, who had nervously climbed out of the car alongside her mother. The young girl all but beamed back at her, waving shyly.

“If you can’t find a radiator hose here, then you can’t find it anywhere.” Shane pointed out, the group’s attention caught by Daryl rummaging through the trunk of the nearest car.

“There’s a whole bunch of stuff we could find.” He called over his shoulder, dumping a bag on the floor and continuing to delve.

“We could syphon more fuel for sure.” T-Dog agreed.

Next to him, Glenn hopefully suggested, “What about food?”

“Maybe water.” Andrea nodded, the group finally seeming to perk up.

With the exception of Lori, that was. “This is graveyard.”

Her somber words took its toll on those around her, those who had been hopefully suggesting what was around them ducking their heads in what might’ve been shame, or could’ve been regret. Rosalina, however, shook her head. “It may be a graveyard for some, but for us it could be salvation. I think we should take what we need, nothing more though, out of respect.”

Lori stared at her uncertainly, the apprehension clear in the way she pursed her lips together, hands tucked into the pockets of her jeans. “I don’t know how I feel about this.”

“Lori, I don't think we have much of a choice.” Rick told her gently, Rosalina nodding along in agreement. “Spread out, gather what you can.”

Following his orders, Rosalina made her way through the cars, making her way to the biggest and most obviously filled. Stopping at the car closest, she jiggled open the trunk, wide eyes scouring over the boxes filled with various items. It looked like she’d found the car of a family moving house.

Despite the feelings of intrusion that crushed down on her, she forced herself to explore the boxes, finding the first filled with children’s clothes. There was a mix of what looked like early teenagers clothes, with shorts and t-shirts and jeans, and then below that there was clothes meant for a baby, sweet pink dresses and the cutest pair of dungarees Rosalina had ever seen.

Snatching a rucksack from the car, she bundled in the clothes, not bothering to sort through them and just tossing them all in together, knowing Carl and Sophia would be grateful to change out of their only outfits that they’d been wearing on repeat for weeks. She also uncovered an old board game, Cluedo, at the very bottom of the box, and shoved that in too.

Setting the rucksack on her back, she continued to dig, finally walking away from the car a few minutes later with a case of bottled water, more clothes for not only the women of the camp but also the men, and a few more books that she was sure nobody would mind her pilfering. 

Dropping it all in Shane’s truck, she looked around for the rest of the group, eventually catching sight of Dale stood atop the RV, Rick on the ground next to him with his gun in hand. Skipping over, she grinned at Rick cheerfully. “So, not only do we now all have stylish new wardrobes, I also picked up something to keep the kids entertained tonight and some bottled water.”

He smiled. “Nice work, Lori was only complaining the other day about Carl’s clothes being-.”

He was stopped by Dale, who called down to them quietly, his binoculars glued to his eyes and his face contorted in fear. “Walkers!”

The word made both tense, Rick lifting his gun and staring through the scope. Rosalina didn’t speak, rushing back to Shane’s jeep, reaching in to grab her daggers and strapping their holster to her back.

Glancing back around, she saw a mob of walkers making their way slowly towards them, and she held in a silent scream. Rick ran towards her, his hand wrapping around her arm and pulling her along with him, muttering fearfully, “We need to gather the group back together and get the hell out of here, now.”

“There’s no way we can drive through them,” She hurriedly whispered, shaking her head. “Get everyone to hide under the cars, or on top of them, out of sight.”

Rick nodded, rushing them forward. He caught sight of Lori, and quickly gestured for Rosalina to climb under the nearest car. She did as ordered, ducking and rolling under, trying hard to control her shaky breathing which was coming out in loud uneasy pants, the clanging of metal on her back making her flinch. Her eyes squeezed tightly together, fear bouncing her heart up and down against her rib cage.

Wrapping her own hand around her mouth, she watched as Lori and Carol threw themselves on the ground and under the car a few feet in front of her, Rick doing the same with a car on her left. Past Rick, she saw Sophia anxiously leaning on the ground beneath a car, her head flicking back and forth in a mix of fear and confusion. 

Catching sight of the older woman, Sophia’s lip wobbled, tears forming in her eyes. She moved forward, as though to make her way over to Rosalina, but the woman swiftly shook her head. Holding her hands up, she gestured for Sophia to stay where she was, managing a comforting smile. 

Understanding, Sophia settled back into place, her tiny fists clenched tightly. Rosalina’s heart almost broke at the sight.

But her focus was shifted to a pair of feet that began to shuffle past her hiding place, followed by another pair, and then another, and yet another, until the full hoard was stumbling around them. Rosalina tensed her muscles even tighter, barely breathing in her fear. Her hands itched to snatch the daggers on her back.

Minutes passed, and still the feet continued to shuffle along. And then, slowly and steadily, their numbers began to dwindle. Rosalina counted up to the five minute mark after the last pair seemingly went past, sending a questioning look to Rick as to whether she should check. He shook his head firmly, raising one hand to warn her to stay put.

What they failed to notice, however, was that Sophia had begun to climb out from under her car, only to be forced back again when a walker cornered her. Letting out a terrified scream, Sophia wriggled along the ground, kicking out at the walker in an attempt to chase it away, the moans of the hungry walker striking fear into Rosalina’s heart.

She couldn’t stop herself, rolling out from under the car and jumping to her feet, unsheathing her daggers. Immediately, she was attacked by three walkers, the first of which she managed to easily jab through the eye socket. 

Then she felt a hand wrap around her wrist, and with an adrenaline fuelled pull, she yanked the hand from the walker’s body, the fingers still clinging to her skin when she kicked it back, driving the dagger in her left hand down into its skull, while the dagger in her right hand was forced through the ear of the third and final walker, efficiently killing them both.

In the same time as she was fighting off the walkers, Rick had dived from under his car and was chasing after Sophia, who had escaped the attacking walker long enough to reach the forest. 

Seeing a walker pacing around Lori and Carol’s car, Rosalina sprinted up and knocked it to the ground with a well aimed kick in it’s lower back, stabbing it in the head, giving Carol to the chance to clamber out of the car, running to the edge of the road where her daughter and Rick had disappeared. “There’s two walkers after my baby!”

Lori grabbed ahold of the hysterical mother before she followed them into the forest, Rosalina, Carl, Shane and Glenn joining them at the side fo the road, staring fearfully into the forest. “I’ll follow them.”

“No, you won’t.” Shane disagreed, Rosalina glaring up at him for his response.

“Why not?” She spat, gearing up to storm in any way, only for Glenn’s hand on her shoulder to keep her in place. “What?”

“We can’t have three people running around in the forest with two walkers stalking them.” Glenn murmured quietly, respectful of the sobbing Carol. “Rick will find her, you know he will.”

She grimaced, fists clenching. Without a word, she threw her dagger over Glenn’s shoulder, landing it in the skull of an approaching walker. “And I could fucking help! She’s terrified in there, I’ll be damned if I’m gonna leave her alone!”

Starting to storm forward, she was stopped by a hand wrapping around her arm, gripping tight enough to leave bruises. Glowering up at Shane, Rosalina pulled, trying to get away. But he wouldn’t let her. “Rick is handling this, and you ain’t going storming off into that damn forest only to get yourself lost! So stay put, and actually do something useful, or I’ll be forced to lock you in the RV!”

His grip had tightened the longer his speech went on, and Glenn could clearly see the way Rosalina’s eyes scrunched up in pain. “You wouldn’t fucking dare!”

“Try me.” He hissed, and the dangerous way his eyes glinted in the shadow of the sun made Rosalina freeze. 

Breathing heavily, she forcibly pried his fingers off her with her other hand, yanking her arm back and starting to back away. “First of all, dickless, don’t ever lay a hand on me again. And if you won’t let me do something useful then I’m going to kill some fucking walkers. There’s too much testosterone pumping here for me to handle.”

With that, she stepped away from where Lori was now stood comforting not only Carol but now also Carl, who had been startled by the sight of two of his favourite people caught in a furious argument over the safety of his best friend. Rosalina couldn’t find it within her to care, moving instead to take out the stray walkers around them. Glenn ran over to where Dale and Andrea were slowly approaching, explaining the current situation to them.

Rosalina furiously slammed her daggers into the brains of any walkers daring to near her, yanking it out and for once enjoying the crunching sound of bones being smashed. Every few seconds, her eyes would dance across to the forest, her lips pressing together tight. 

It would be too easy to run into the trees right now, with nobody to stop her, and an unlikely chance of anyone running after her. But she knew the chances of her finding Sophia on her own were low, and the likelihood of her getting lost was high. She wasn’t a tracker, she couldn’t guide herself through the woods with only the sun and a bottle of water. She’d been a city girl all her life, and while she didn’t think Shane was right to not let anyone into the forest, she had to admit there was a small possibility he was right to keep her behind.

With a groan of annoyance, she looked away, trailing closer to the middle of the road, listening closely for any signs of life. She’d only been walking for a few minutes, when she heard:

“Rose?” Daryl called from behind a car, the green haired woman spinning around to see him crouching down, a blood splattered and faint looking T-Dog leaning heavily against his side.

“Fuck,” She breathed, seeing a deep wound embedded in T-Dog’s arm, still dripping blood. She rushed over, sliding along the bonnet of the car and landing in a crouching position next to them. Despite the situation, Daryl couldn’t help but be impressed. “Come on, we need to get this stitched up, now.”

She helped Daryl support T-Dog, steadily making their way over to the RV. “Where is everyone?”

“Watching the forest,” Rosalina tensely explained, struggling to get T-Dog up the steps and into the vehicle. “Sophia got chased in by walkers and Rick followed her. They won’t let me get in and help.”

“Shit,” Daryl cursed, a pit forming in his stomach at the thought of Carol’s young daughter out there just as darkness was beginning to set in overhead in the sky. “Have you heard gunshots?”

“Rick wouldn’t be stupid enough to use a gun after that mob rolled through,” Rosalina shook her head, setting a clammy T-Dog up in a chair against the wall, his arm on the table. “There’s gotta be a medical kit around here somewhere, fetch it for me.”

Daryl didn’t bother arguing with her, following her orders without complaint for the first time yet. Rummaging through the cupboards, he continued to talk while Rosalina applied pressure to T-Dog’s wound with a bandanna. “So what are we supposed to do? Sit here and wait for something to happen?”

“That’s what everyone else seems to think,” Rosalina muttered, ignoring T-Dog’s hazy murmuring that sounded like garbled English, grabbing the medical kit thrust into her hands by Daryl. “Thanks.”

Opening it up, she found herself faced with limited supplies to match her limited medical knowledge. Recalling the basics of her first aid training from her Duke of Edinburgh experience from when she was fourteen, she pulled out an alcoholic dipped piece of cotton, wiping it around the actual wound to try and stop infection forming where she’d be stitching. But then, she realised something. “There’s no stitching needle.”

“What?” Daryl asked, scrunching his face up in confusion, his brow creasing. 

“This isn’t gonna stop bleeding unless I sew it up but there’s nothing for me to do that with,” Rosalina explained, watching T-Dog’s barely lucid form twitch in pain as she gently pressed underneath the wound. “I can wrap it up tight enough to staunch the blood flow, but if this isn’t stitched and properly disinfected, he’s going to end up with an infection.”

“Wrap it up,” Daryl ordered, peering at the wound from over her shoulder, standing behind her so that his feet were planted either side of her legs as she kneeled down to properly see the T-Dog’s wound, his arm still resting on the table. “I’ll scavenge through the cars, see if I can find anything.”

Rosalina only nodded, making quick work of wrapping up T-Dog’s arm, Daryl finally stepping around her and taking the seat opposite T-Dog. In her hurry, Rosalina’s fingers accidentally scraped against the hole in T-Dog’s arm, Daryl’s hand hurriedly covering the mouth of the man when he released a scream, awakening him from his blood-loss induced stupor. “Fucking hell!”

“Sorry.” Rosalina apologised, without her usual charm, focused solely on wrapping up his arm. T-Dog looked down at his bloodied arm as Daryl removed his hand, his chest heaving at the sight. 

“What are you doing?” He questioned, wincing in pain as Rosalina began to wrap it up.

“Making sure you’re not spurting blood like a bad 1980s horror movie prop.” She glanced up at him with a flicker of a smile, before setting her head down back to work again. Daryl managed a snort, but his mind was focused on Sophia, much like Rosalina herself. 

T-Dog allowed her to continue without another word, taking deep breaths to ease him through the pain. 

It didn’t take Rosalina long to finish, standing back up, the feeling in her legs numbed slightly by having crouched on the floor for so long. “I’ll get you some water. Stay here, and do not move that arm until I’ve stitched it up.”

“Stitched it up?” Had it been any other time, T-Dog’s high pitched repetition of her words would’ve had Rosalina rolling on the floor, but instead she only nodded distractedly, climbing out of the RV. Daryl followed quickly after her. 

“Is that Rick?” Squinting Daryl, lifted his hand to block the sun’s rays. 

Rosalina followed his gaze, seeing Rick stood in front of the group, his shirt splattered with blood and his chest rising and falling at a pace far quicker than normal. “Fuck.”

She began to sprint, Daryl jogging along behind her, holding down the strap of his crossbow.

“Where’s Sophia?” She demanded immediately upon reaching the group, seeing the panicked expressions on everyone’s faces, and the guilty eyes of Rick which rested on Carol, who was quietly sobbing into Lori’s shoulder. “Oh god.”

“She didn't get caught,” Glenn quickly reassured Rosalina, resting a hand on her shoulder to calm her. Behind them, Daryl straightened, watching the asian boy closely. “Rick killed both the walkers but he had to leave Sophia in a hiding spot to do so. But now...”

He trailed off, Rosalina quickly catching on. “She wasn’t there when he got back.”

Glenn’s nod confirmed what she had said, and Rosalina felt her shoulders drop. “Then we need to search for her! If Rick leads us back to where she was, then maybe Daryl will be able to track where she went.”

Spinning around, she stared hopefully up at the hunter, who nodded. “If she left any trace of a trial, I can follow it.”

She almost hugged him, but instead settled for a grateful smile, turning again to the rest of the group to exclaim, “Then lets go! T-Dog’s injured, so we need a few people to stay back and look after him, and Lori, Carl and Carol should stay here too.”

“She’s my daughter!” Carol argued, still sat on the floor with Lori’s arms around her, glaring up with watery eyes at Rosalina.

Gently, Rosalina approached her, kneeling down and taking her hand. “Carol, I know that. But you’re in no state to be wandering around a forest, and besides, we need you here in case Sophia manages to find her way back here. I promise, we’re going to do everything we can to find her.”

Daryl noticed how she never said with certainty that they were going to find her. Just that they’d try. She was always so careful with her words.

Shaking, Carol nodded, Rosalina giving her a comforting look before standing back up, facing the group. “Rick, myself, Daryl, Glenn and Shane will go look for Sophia. The rest of you stay here, ready for if Sophia finds her way back. And someone needs to find a fully equipped first aid kit, because T-Dog is going to need stitches.”

With that, she jumped the metal barrier separating the road from the grassy bank down into the forest, leaving a group of bewildered faces in her wake. Turning back around, she nodded, encouraging the four she had named. “Come on, we want to find her before it starts getting dark, lets go!”

This hurried them into action, Rick stepping over the barrier to join her, muttering quietly in her ear. “Thank you for taking charge.”

“No problem, General.” She assured him, before sliding down the bank. “Lets go.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You sure this was the spot?” Daryl asked, crouching down in the murky water to stare into the tiny area covered by bushes and trees where Rick said he had left Sophia. 

Next to him stood Rick himself, while Rosalina, Glenn and Shane had all positioned themselves along the bank, away from the water. Rosalina was covered in mud and dirt from the tumbles she had taken walking up and down the uneven forest terrain, and there was a long streak of mud running across her cheek, which, when accompanied with a couple of leaves and twigs caught in her hair, gave her a wild, earthly look. As they stood together on the bank, Glenn kept one hand out towards her, ready to grab her arm if she slipped again. 

“I left her right here,” Rick’s tone was certain. “I drew the walkers away off in that direction, up the creek.”

He pointed in the opposite direction, Daryl following his gaze before starting to wade out of the water. “Without a paddle-that seems where we’ve landed.”

“She was gone by the time I got back here,” Rick continued, ignoring Daryl’s comment. “I figured she just took off and ran back to group. I told her, go that way and keep the sun on her left shoulder.” 

“She might still have gone back to camp.” Rosalina suggested, but she kept her voice at nothing more than a murmur, staying close to Glenn’s side.

“Hey, why don’t you two step off to one side? You’re mucking up the trail.” Daryl grumbled, Rosalina pulling Glenn out of the way with a hand on his arm, forgetting to let go when Shane spoke up.

“Assuming she knows the left from the right.” He said, referring to Rick’s earlier comment.

“Shane, she understood me fine.” Rick assured him, still stood in the water, his hands on his hips as he looked around the darkening forest desperately. 

But Shane shook his head, disagreeing. “The kid’s scared and tired, man. She had a close call with two walkers. I’m kind of wondering how much of what you said stuck.”

As if to prove him wrong, Daryl spoke up, crouching down at the side of the bank, moving a branch out of his eyes. “We’ve got clear prints right here. She did like you said, headed back to the highway. Let’s spread out.”

Removing her hand from Glenn’s arm, Rosalina reached down to offer it to Daryl, who grudgingly accepted her help back up the bank, his large, calloused hand swallowing her smaller, smoother hand whole. The moment he was stood firmly at the top of the bank, they separated, Rosalina stepping away from him without a word, nodding to his grunt of gratitude.

The group followed behind Daryl, who kept himself crouched down, watching the ground carefully. Behind him, Rosalina kept no more than a few feet between them, her own gaze flickering around nervously at the dense forest. Even the squad of birds overhead set her on edge, a tight grip on both daggers, wishing she’d also had her sword strapped against her hips. 

Coming to a sudden stop, Daryl kneeled down, resting one hand on the ground. The group formed a circle around him, Rosalina leaning over his shoulder to see what he was staring intently at, her hot breath hitting the back of his neck.

“She was doing just fine until right here,” Daryl informed them all, subtly moving over, away from the distracting form of Rosalina. “All she had to do was keep going. She veered off that way.”

“Why would she do that?” Glenn voiced the question Rosalina was thinking.

“Something could’ve scared her?’ She suggested, but Glenn immediately considered the worst.

“A walker?”

Searching through the dirt, Daryl shook his head, Rosalina releasing a breath of relief that she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. “I don’t see any other footprints, just hers.”

“So, what do we do?” Shane asked, looking up to Rick for an answer. “All of us press on?”

“No,” Rick disagreed immediately, holding his gun tight at his side. “It’s better if you, Glenn and Rose get back up to the highway. People are going to start panicking.”

“Shane and Glenn can handle that, I’m staying here.” Rosalina interjected, the stubborn glimmer in her green eyes making it clear she wouldn’t be swayed, her jaw set determinedly. “Tell everyone, Carol first, that we’re following her trail. Then keep everyone busy while we search.”

“I’ll get them scavenging cars,” Shane nodded along in agreement to Rosalina’s plan, surprising all of them that he was genuinely listening to the younger woman. “I’ll think up a few other chores, keep ‘em occupied. Come on.”

Glenn started to follow, Rosalina reaching out to quickly squeeze his hand before he left, both saying quietly to one another, “Good luck.”

Letting go, the pair separated, Rosalina following a tight-faced Daryl further into the woods, Rick close on her heels. While Daryl’s eyes followed the trail, Rick and Rosalina couldn’t stop their eyes from darting around nervously, waiting for a sudden onslaught of walkers to appear. Their vice-like grip on their weapons never loosened.

After a few minutes, Rick spoke up. “The tracks are gone.”

“They ain’t gone,” Daryl muttered with a shake of his head, squinting. “They’re faint. She came through here.”

“How can you tell?” Rosalina asked inquisitively, unable to see any difference in the ground, no matter how hard she looked. “It’s all just more of the same.”

“You want a lesson in tracking or do you want me to find that girl and get our ass off the interstate?” Daryl shot back bluntly. 

Rosalina twisted her head, sharing a look with Rick before miming zipping her lips, managing to coax a small smile from the guilt ridden man. 

They pressed onwards, pausing every thirty feet for Daryl to check they were still following the trail. It was just as Rosalina was about to suggest calling Sophia’s name when they heard a loud rustling near to them, sending all of them in a crouched position near to the ground, weapons raised.

Rosalina was the first to begin to edge forwards, turning back and gesturing for the other two to follow her. They did, all three reaching the top of a small drop, looking down to see a walker ambling through the forest. It was seemingly alone.

Wordlessly, Daryl directed Rick to go left, nudging his head for Rosalina to follow him right. They edged their way around the walker, jumping down onto the lower path behind it, Daryl raising his crossbow ready while Rick ran out in front of it, grabbing its attention. A guttural groan left its have rotted mouth, silenced by Daryl’s arrow shooting through its skull, killing it instantly.

“Good shot.” Rosalina complimented, surprising Daryl.

“Thanks.” He muttered, watching her walk up to the corpse, pressing her foot against the head and yanking the arrow out, handing it to him with a nod.

Looking around, she called out hopefully, “Sophia!”

To her dismay, there was no response. 

Kneeling down, Rick put on a pair of thick canvas gloves, lifting the arm of the walker to get a clear look at the long bony fingers. “What’re you looking for?” 

“Skin under the fingernails.” He said in answer to Daryl’s question. Finding nothing, he instead opened the walker’s mouth wide, Rosalina grimacing at the sight of its bloody, rotting teeth. “It fed recently. There’s flesh between the teeth.”

“What kind of flesh?” Daryl questioned, leaning forward to get a closer look.

Feeling her stomach heave, Rosalina stepped away, sitting with her back against the bank while the two men stared intently at the piece of flesh Rick held in his hand. “Only one way to know for sure.”

Unable to stop herself, Rosalina let out an exclamation of disgust when Rick ripped open the walker’s shirt, his intention clear. “Oh god, I can’t watch.”

“Wouldn’t have thought you to be such a pussy.” Daryl taunted, glancing back at Rosalina, who had buried her face into her knees. Lifting her hand, she pointed her middle finger at him.

“I was a vegetarian for three years, excuse me for being a tad squeamish.” Her voice was muffled by her jeans, Daryl snorting with a roll of his eyes before facing Rick again.

“I’ll do it.” He informed the ex-cop, removing a sharp, long hunting knife from his belt. “How many kills you skin and gutted now, anyway?”

“I swear to god I will be sick!” Rosalina called over, burying closer against her knees. “Just get on with it, I’m begging you.”

She didn’t hear any more talking, and for a few moments there was silence. Slowly, she felt herself begin to relax, about to lift her head when she heard a sickening squelching sound as Daryl drove the knife down into the walker’s bloated stomach. 

Unable to stop herself, Rosalina was forced to spin over, kneeling down on her hands and knees, the remains of the food she had eaten that day spewed across the bank, continuing to gag as she heard the tearing and ripping taking place in the walker’s stomach behind her.

For a moment, Daryl and Rick paused, turning back to stare at where a shaking Rosalina kneeled. Daryl almost dropped his knife, beginning to rise when Rick stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head. “I got it.”

The hunter was almost certain the green-tinged man was only using Rosalina’s suffering as an excuse to escape his own, but soldiered on nonetheless, listening to the sounds of Rick comforting Rosalina as he did. He managed to drive the knife through quicker and deeper, a newfound power forcing him to work harder. 

Eventually, the knife could do no more, and Daryl was forced to delve his hand inside the walker. It was at the same moment that he began to rip out the sticky black intestines of the walker that Rosalina decided she was well enough to turn back around, only to be met with the gruesome sight. 

She began to retch loudly, Rick’s hand comfortingly rubbing circles on her lower back as she heaved.

“Yeah, he had a big meal not long ago,” Daryl called over, keeping them informed of what was happening. “I can feel it.”

“Oh fuck.” Rosalina coughed out, her faces red and blotchy, tears streaming down her face from the effort of trying to keep her stomach from flying out of her throat. 

Daryl glanced back, checking that Rick was actually looking after her and not throwing up beside her, and then counting to delve deeper into the world’s most disgusting piñata. Finally, he yanked out a black, oozing organ. “I’ve found the gut bag.”

Hr forced it open, stabbing around the inside with his knife. “This old bastard had a woodchuck for lunch. And that’s all.”

“At least we know.” Rick called back, helping the coughing Rosalina to her feet, guiding her around the walker. Daryl followed along after them, walking on Rosalina’s other side.

Looking down, he asked, “You okay? Not gonna throw up on me are ya?”

“I don't think there’s anything left for me to throw up.” She assured him weakly, one arm wrapped protectively over her stomach. “But, like Rick said, at least we know. So losing my lunch was worth it.”

Daryl nodded in response, moving the conversion along. “I think our only option now is to head back to the highway. It’s going to get dark in the next twenty minutes, and there’s no point walkin’ around here if I can’t see shit.”

“But we still haven’t found her.” Rosalina argued, shaking her head. Both men could see her movements were slow and groggy, clearly more effected by her episode moments before than she was willing to admit. “If she hasn’t made her way back to the others then we’ll be leaving her stranded, in the dark, all alone.”

“Yeah, well, we don’t have a whole lot of options.” Daryl shot back, eyes watching the darkening sky overhead. “We can carry on wandering around here, in the dark, without any real idea of where we’re going, or we can head back to the highway and prepare to search again in the morning, when we can actually see what the fuck we’re doing.”

“He’s right, Rose,” Rick agreed, a few steps ahead of the other two, starting to lead them back to the highway. “At least in the morning we can bring a few more of us out and it’ll be easy to follow the trail.”

Grudgingly, Rosalina agreed, not saying a word but following them back to where the group were gathered. 

As they exited the trees, they saw Carol come rushing towards them, her hopeful expression crumpling when she saw they were alone. “You didn’t find her?”

“The trail went cold, Carol,” Rick informed her, in a sincere apologetic tone. “We’re gonna head back out at first light, I promise.”

But Carol wasn’t listening, clutching her own arms to her chest, shaking her head pleadingly. “You can’t leave my daughter to spend the night alone in the woods.”

With a surprisingly soft voice, Daryl said, “It’s no good in the dark. We’d just be tripping over ourselves. Most people will get lost.”

“She’s twelve! She can’t be out there on her own!” Carol’s voice started to crack, making Rosalina’s middle tense uncomfortably, guilt coursing though her body, forcing her to drop her head. “You didn’t find anything?”

“I know this is hard, but I’m asking you not to panic. We know she was out there,” Rick continued to assure her, tilting his head and bending his knees to meet Carol’s eyes. “We even tracked her for a while. We have to make this and organised effort. Daryl knows the woods better than anybody. I’ve asked him to oversee this.”

But the mother could barely comprehend any of this, her gaze fixed on Daryl’s front. “Is that blood?”

Uncertainly, Rick explained after a pause. “He took down a walker.”

“A walker?” Carol repeated, inhaling deeply, pressing her hands to her head. “Oh god.”

Rushing forward, Rosalina took Carol’s hands in hers, forcing the panic-stricken woman to meet her honest eyes. “Carol, please listen to me. There were absolutely no signs it had ever been near Sophia, and Daryl even went as far as to check its stomach contents. It seemed to be alone, and we didn’t see any sign of any other walkers the entire time we were out there.”

Releasing a whimper, Carol moved to sit on the barrier at the edge of the roadside, removing her hands from Rosalina’s grasp. Instead, she looked up at Rick, spitting out, “How could you just leave her out there to begin with? How could you just leave her?”

“Those two walkers were on us. I had to draw them off. It was her best chance.” Rick gently defended himself, Shane moving onto his other side.

“It sounds like he didn’t have a choice, Carol.” He agreed. 

But she couldn’t be soothed, continuing, “How was she supposed to find her way back on her own? She’s just a child!”

As though begging, Rick knelt down at Carol’s feet. “It was my only option-the only choice I could make.”

Rosalina leant a comforting hand on his shoulder, while Shane said, “I’m sure nobody doubts that.”

Carol released another sob. “My little girl got left alone in the woods.”

Knowing there was no way to make this better, Rick stood up to walk away, Shane following after him as Andrea moved to help Lori comfort the crying Carol. Rosalina was torn when she saw Daryl start to make his way over to his motorcycle, glancing back at Carol briefly before following after him, snatching her bags from Shane’s jeep as she went. Somehow, she doubted her presence would be helpful in the woman’s current state.

“Hey, any idea where you’re sleeping tonight?” She asked when she caught up to him, Daryl almost jumping in surprise when she fell into step beside him. 

“Probably just against my bike. What ‘bout you?” Rosalina was surprised by his conversational mood. Well, conversational by Daryl Dixon standards.

“I’m not sure. I was thinking about setting up in the back of that old pickup truck over there.” She pointed across to an old rusted Chevy truck, parked opposite Daryl’s motorbike. “Stick my sleeping bag in the back, steal a few cushions from the surrounding cars, all set up.”

Daryl rose an eyebrow. “That’s actually not a bad plan.”

She nudged him with her shoulder, “Don’t sound so surprised, Dixon. You could sleep in the cab if you want? Probably more comfortable than the ground.”

“I’ll be fine.” He informed her gruffly, just as they reached the motorbike in question, swinging his crossbow down onto the ground and dropping down beside it.

Rosalina shrugged, turning her back on him and beginning to set up her accommodation for the night. Rolling her sleeping bag out in the back, she traded her leather jacket for a thick woolly cardigan from her day of stealing, wrapping it around herself tightly. Climbing into the truck, she made a pillow out of her jacket, settling down comfortably, her sword and daggers close to her side.

The night was silent, in a way that should’ve been peaceful but only made Rosalina uncomfortable. All she could think of was the little girl left alone in the woods, tired and scared with no food or water, waiting for Rick to come and find her. The thought made her shiver, turning onto her side, facing away from Daryl.

Daryl.

She could hear him breathing. In. Out. In. Out. 

It was relaxing, and as she listened, she slowly found her own breathing settling in time with the redneck’s. Her eyes began to grow heavy, the muscles in her back softening as she began to drift off to sleep. 

She’d almost drifted off entirely when she heard a shuffling sound, followed by the opening and closing of the truck door. Sleepily sitting up, she looked through the open gap into the cab, seeing Daryl setting himself across the battered leather seats, his head resting against the window.

Seeing her peering in with half-closed eyes, he shook his head. “Not a word, Jones.”

Rosalina, even in her hazy state, laughed at the use of her second name-she’d never heard Daryl use it before. “Night, Dixon.”

As she settled back down in her makeshift bed, she smiled when she heard a quietly muttered, “Night, Rose.”


	7. Jesus is a DJ

Rosalina slept peacefully under the warm, orange glow of the early morning sun, curled up into a ball with her legs tucked up to her chest and her arms being used as a substitute pillow. Her dreams were plagued by the sounds of children screaming and walkers groaning, but despite this she still slept on. Nightmares had become a thing of the normal for her since the world went to shit. 

She’d started the night in the centre of the truck, but by the time Daryl walked around to wake her at seven the next morning, she was pressed up against the corner of the truck, face hidden by her tangled hair. 

“Rise and shine, princess,” He muttered, leaning over the truck’s edge to give her a less than gentle shove. “C’mom, Rick wants to give his orders.”

“Five more minutes, love.” She softly pleaded, rolling over onto her other side so that Daryl was faced with her back. For a moment he stared, surprised that she’d took the time to take off her chainmail vest and change into a soft cardigan, considering how exhausted she had been the night before. 

“Hey,” His voice was gruff now, aggravated. He gave her another push, harsh enough this time to make her wince. “That little girl is still lost in those woods, and we ain’t gonna leave her there for longer just cause you’re too god damn lazy to get your ass up. So get up, or I’ll drag you out of there myself.”

With a prolonged groan, Rosalina rolled onto her back. Taking a hairband off her wrist, she pulled her hair into a ponytail before sitting up, eyes still closed as she pulled off her cardigan. “I’m coming, I’m coming. Just give me a sec to wake up.” 

“You’ve had a sec, get up.” Finally, her eyes flickered open, immediately narrowing into an irritated glare fixed on Daryl, who held out his hand to help her up out of the truck. 

Snatching her belt and holster up, Rosalina took his hand and jumped down, sliding the belt with her sword on and fixing her daggers in their holsters on her back as they walked up to where the rest of the group had been gathered by Rick. Seeing them approaching, he nodded to each of them in turn, Daryl and Rosalina silently splitting apart to stand on either side of the Sheriff. 

With the full group now present, Rick laid out a series of tools on the hood of the car he’d organised everyone around. The sun bounced off the metal of axes and screwdrivers, reflecting into Rosalina’s eyes and making her squint. “Everybody takes a weapon.”

“These aren’t the kind of weapons we need,” Andrea argued, a hand on her hip as she stared down at the display unimpressed. “What about the guns?”

“We’ve been over that,” Shane called over from where he was stood hiding in the RV’s shadow, away from the burning sun. “Daryl, Rick, Rose and I are carrying. We can’t have people popping off rounds every time the tree rustles.”

As he finished speaking, he handed Rosalina’s gun over to her, along with the thigh holster filled with knives that she’s forgotten in his jeep. She took them with a silent nod of thanks, strapping herself up while Andrea furiously glared, scoffing. “It’s not the trees I’m worried about.”

“Say someone fires at the wrong moment,” Shane challenged, knowing the blonde woman would continue to complain if he didn’t explain. “A herd happens to be passing by. See, then it’s game over for all of us. So you need to get over it.”

For a few moment, Andrea continued to hold her glare, and it seemed as though she would continue to make her argument. But then she shifted on her feet, ducking her head down and signalling she was done fighting. Daryl took this as his cue to explain the plan. “The idea is to take the creek up about five miles, turn around, and come back down the other side. Chances are she’ll be by the creek. It’s her only landmark. Stay quiet, stay sharp.” 

Rosalina’s attention couldn’t help but stray to where Glenn was stood happily grinning at his new weapon, a sharp edged axe that looked like it would easily bury into the skull of a walker. His childish fascination with the axe made a smile curl up on Rosalina’s mouth, widening further when Glenn met her eyes and gestured the weapon forward to show her. She nodded, holding back a giggle. 

“Keep space between you, but always stay within sight of each other.” Rick ordered, oblivious to Rosalina and Glenn as the group started to organise themselves, moving into action.

“Everybody assemble your packs.” Daryl finished, and the group dispersed.

Immediately, Rosalina hopped over to Glenn, taking the weapon from his hands and admiring it. It was surprisingly light and easy to swing, making it perfect for the not so muscular Glenn. “Very nice. Know how to use it?”

“I’m not completely stupid,” He snarked, snatching it back out of her hands with a pointed look. “Just hit them in the head and hope for the best.”

“You’re a fast learner,” Rosalina laughed, linking her arm through his. “C’mon, I’ve got some water in my truck, you're gonna need it.”

Daryl watched from where he stood as Rosalina led Glenn over to their truck, his grip tightening on his crossbow when she leaned in to whisper something in Glenn’s ear that made the boy snort with laughter. With a huff, he aimed a kick at the ground, turning his back on them to organise what he was taking into the forest. 

Within ten minutes the group was trudging through the forest. Daryl, of course, lead them all, Rick following him, the rest of the group following a line in the order of Andrea, Carol, Glenn, Rosalina, Lori, Carl(who had badgered his way into being brought along) and finally Shane.

It felt strange for Rosalina, not being up front with Rick and Daryl, but Lori had almost pleaded with her to keep close to Carl as she was one of the few who was properly armed, and Rosalina didn’t plan on letting anything happen to the little boy, so she had fo course agreed. And at least she had Glenn beside her. 

“Hey,” She whispered, trying not to disturb the silence that had settled around them. Glenn turned back, raising one eyebrow at her questioningly. “If you had to chose between being able to fly and being able to talk to animals, which would you pick?”

He stared at her, furrowing his brow as though to work out if she was joking, before whispering back, “Talking to animals, duh. Chicks dig the whole ‘sensitive, animal lover’ thing.”

She snorted, rolling her eyes. “Seriously, that’s your reasoning? I’m fairly certain chicks love the guy who can literally swoop them up and carry them away like a real-life Superman. Actually scratch that, no quality girl likes Superman. Like a real life Ironman! Everybody loves Tony Stark.”

Glenn snorted in amusement, rolling his eyes as he shot back. “Alright, what about you then? Flying or talking to animals?” 

“Easy,” Rosalina scoffed, just as the group was pulled to a halt by Daryl. She whispered quietly as they gathered together, “Being able to fly. I’d never be able to eat meat again if I could talk to animals, I’d get too attached.”

Glenn mused for a moment, before nodded in agreement, seeing the logic in her words, “Okay that’s fair. I still think talking to animals would be cool though. You could just find an asshole animal to kill and eat.”

Scrunching her brow up, Rosalina considered his argument, before shaking her head. “Nope, they could still have a family and then I’d feel bad for leaving some baby birds in the next without their dad. I’m a recovering vegetarian, talking to animals would just be too difficult for me.”

“I get that, but why would being able to fly be any better than talking to animals?” Glenn pressed. “It’s definitely not as cool.”

She scoffed. “Bitch, please. If I could fly then I’d never had to walk anywhere again, I’d be able to scout out areas for walkers without putting myself or anyone else in danger, and I could fly through water meaning I’d finally be able to fish effectively. It’s a full-proof power!”

“Hold on, being able to fly doesn’t mean you’d be able to fly through water. That’s just swimming. Flying in the air is completely different to swimming in the sea!” Glenn argued, turning around to pointedly raise his eyebrows at Rosalina, cockily laughing at her ‘ridiculous’ suggestion.

“Oh shut up, it could still work!” She disagreed, giving him a shove that made him trip over his own feet, smirking. 

However, their light-hearted argument was interrupted by Shane, who hissed angrily at them, “Can you two stop acting like kids and focus on the god damn mission?”

“Sorry.” Glenn apologised hurriedly, startled by Shane’s interruption. Rosalina rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to shoot back with a snarky comment, instead settling for kicking a rock across the ground, continuing to kick it forwards along with them as they walked. 

Minutes passed before Daryl finally stopped them, pointing to a deflated, dirt-stained green tent sat beside the surface of a small pond a few feet away from them. “She could be in there.”

“There could be a whole bunch of things in there.” Shane pointed out, joining the front of the group.

Always happy to play the pessimist, Rosalina thought irritably to herself, glaring a hole into the back of the man's head.

Rick withdrew his gun, muttering to Shane and Daryl, “Shane’s right, there would be anything in there. Keep alert, and be ready.”

Turning back, he gestured for Rosalina to come forwards. “Rose, come on.”

She edged through the gathered group, nodding once to Rick before sliding into place next to Daryl, the four making their way cautiously forwards. 

When they reached the tent, Daryl turned back, holding his hand up to stop Shane and Rick, nodding his head down to Rosalina’s knives. She nodded in understanding, silently unsheathing her largest blade and edging towards the tent, Daryl close at her side with his crossbow aimed forwards. 

Quietly, she used the blade to gently lift up the flap of the tent, careful not to disturb too much of the tent in case there was a walker inside, or if Sophia really was in there that she didn’t spook her. Daryl peered inside, but shook his head, unable to determine anything, turning back to shrug at Rick.

Rick turned to the group, gesturing forward to Carol. “Carol.”

The grey-haired mother rushed forward, a hand over her mouth as Rick joined her in moving closer to the tent. “Call out softly. If she’s in there, yours is the first voice she should hear.”

“Sophia, sweetie?” Carol called gingerly, a ball of nerves dancing in Rosalina’s stomach. She looked anxiously for any sign of movement within the tent, but saw nothing.”Are you in there? Sophia, it’s Mommy. Sophia, we’re all here, baby. Rose, Rick, Carl, all of us.”

Despite Carol’s gentle assurances, there was still no movement. Rosalina exchanged a look with Daryl, both of them sharing the same silent disappointment. 

Rick finally moved forward, Shane closely following behind him. Daryl carefully move Rosalina out of the way with a hand on her lower back, guiding her back so that he could take her place at the mouth of the tent. For a second, his hand lingered where it was, and Rosalina tensed. Warmth rushed through her, and she resisted the urge to hold him in place when he gently slid his hand away. 

She watched nervously as Daryl lifted the tent entrance up, coughing as the pungent stench of something rotten greeted those nearest the tent. It was the unmistakable smell of death.

Daryl faced himself to edge inside, lifting his hand to cover his mouth, while Rosalina’s own hand curled tightly around the handle of her blade. A few moments of silence passed, before she finally called out, “Daryl?”

He reemerged, nodding once to Rosalina to show that he was fine, before looking to Carol. “It ain’t her.”

The mother released a sob, immediately being comforted by a sympathetic Lori, while Andrea asked, “Who was it?”

“Some guy,” He answered, swinging his crossbow back onto his back. “He, er, what was it Jenner called it? Opted out.”

Rosalina went to speak, only to be distracted by the ringing of bells, sounding distinctly like a church. 

Around her, the group all straightened, eyes wide as they exchanged looks of shock, Rick pointing in the direction the sound was coming from and the armed four immediately taking off into a run, the rest hot on their heels behind them. 

Rosalina ran through the forest, knocking away branches that got in her way, the group coming to a stop in the middle of a clearing, Rick asking, “Which direction?”

“That way, I think,” Shane said, pointing through the trees. “Damn, it’s hard to tell out here.”

“If we hear them, then maybe Sophia does too.” Carol pointed out, panting hard from the sudden run in the hot sun. 

“If someone’s ringing those bells, they may be calling others.” Glenn added, fixing the strap of his rucksack. 

“Or signalling that they found her.” Andrea suggested hopefully.

Rick led them in the direction Shane had pointed. “She could be ringing them herself.”

“Well then, lets go!” Rosalina encouraged, taking the lead and almost leaping through the shrubbery. Daryl quickly joined her, the sound of feet on ground signalling that the others were running along behind them.

It wasn’t long before they were met with the edge of the forest, finding a small white church and surrounding graveyard. But there was something unsettling about the setting before them.

“That can’t be it. Ain’t go no steeple, no bells.” Shane voiced what they all were thinking, but Rick ignored him, sprinting forward. “Rick!”

“Come on.” Rosalina muttered, running after Rick, pressing one hand against the sword that bumped against her leg as they ran through the graveyard, coming to a halt outside the tall red doors into the church. 

“Rose, Daryl.” Rick whispered, pulling out his gun. The two rushed up the church steps, daggers and crossbow drawn and at the ready. “Three, two, one.”

Together, Daryl and Rick pushed the doors open. Inside it was much like any other church room, with rows of pews lines up facing a towering statue of Jesus on his cross at the front of the room, a wooden organ in one corner of the room and paintings of bible scenes hung up around the room. The only strange thing about the room was the three rotting walkers that sat on the pews.

Sensing their presence, the walkers rose, turning to face them. Rosalina was the first to move forward, driving her dagger through the skull of a female walker, Shane and Rick taking care of the other two in the room. 

With the only sources of danger removed, the rest of the group entered, Rick yelling out to the otherwise empty building, “Sophia!”

Rosalina ignored Rick’s yelling, instead watching Daryl saunter up to the crucifix at the front of the room. “Yo, JC, you taking requests?”

“I think that radio show ended a while ago.” She informed him, making him turn around to face her as she stood in the middle of the isle. She jumped in sudden surprise when there was a loud ringing of bells, echoing off the church walls. 

Staring at each other wide eyed, Daryl and Rosalina spun around, forcing their way through the startled group outside, following the tolling of the bells. Racing down the steps and round the side of the church, they deflated, seeing a box with a wire running up the wall of the church. “It’s on a timer, for fucks sake.”

Glenn stepped forward, pulling open the box and ripping out the cord, ending the ringing of the bells. The group was visibly dismayed, Carol staring around, lost. “I think I’m going to go back inside for a while.” 

“I’m gonna go shoot a tree or something.” Rosalina muttered, Daryl making a noise of agreement as he kicked the ground again, hiding his disappointment with anger. 

Slowly, they all disbanded, Rosalina asking Daryl quietly, “Wanna raid this place? May as well try and find something useful.”

“Sure.” He agreed gruffly, following her back inside. But when they stepped through the doors, they were met with the sight of a tearful Carol kneeling down before the crucifix, muttering her prayers with Lori sat close behind her. It seemed disrespectful to speak, or even move, as the woman begged to God for her daughter to be returned.

Instead, seemingly having the same idea, the pair leaned back against the wall, eyes watching the floor until Carol stepped back and fell, sobbing, into Lori’s waiting arms. 

For a brief moment, Rosalina almost ran forward and threw herself down at the feet of Christ, ready to plead and beg for a return to normal, for a return to her family in England and for the return of every person here to their own families. She missed her home, her familiar apartment with it’s seven bookcases lined up along the wall of the living room, organised around her tiny, terrible TV that had been a gift from her mother when she could barely afford to pay her rent when she was putting herself through university. She missed her double bed that always had too many cushions and blankets piled onto it, her laptop sat on the bedside table, permanently charging because it was a MacBook and Apple had a bad reputation when it came to battery life. 

But her nostalgic thoughts were pushed from her mind as she felt her eyes begin to water, replaced by the cynical knowledge that there was no greater help waiting to save them form the destruction of the apocalypse. Her home was long gone, and the only people who could help them now, was themselves. No matter the cost.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Alright,” Rosalina sat up from where she had been lying on her front in the sun, crossing her legs and aiming her words at a tired Glenn who leaned up against the tree opposite her. “Super-strength or super-speed?”

“Super-strength,” He answered in an ‘obviously’ tone of voice, opening his eyes to look at her. “I’m not gonna kill any walkers with super-speed.”

“But you can escape them,” Rosalina argued, hurrying to explain when Glenn groaned. “Hold on, just listen to me! With super-speed, not only will you be able to run out of the area that the walkers are surrounding, you can take one or two people with you and save others, plus get weapons to kill any walkers and get the rest of the group out. Strength means you can kill the numbers, speed means you can save the numbers.”

“Only you can turn this into a philosophical debate.” Glenn joked, Rosalina giving him a gentle shove.

They’d been arguing like this for half an hour while the rest of the group basked in the sun, waiting for Shane and Rick to come to a decision about where to do next. The pair had been muttering in a corner of the churchyard for a while, and when they finally made their way back over, the group all scrambled up onto their feet, ready to here the plan of action. 

Rosalina stood between Glenn and Daryl, Carl remaining sat at her feet with one of her blunter knives, digging it into the ground, clearly bored.

“You all got to follow the creek bed back. Okay? Daryl, you and Rose are in charge,” Shane announced, glancing at the pair. The both nodded. “Me and Rick, we’re just going to hang back. Search this area for just an hour or two, just to be safe.”

“Splitting us up?” Daryl questioned, directing his question to an exhausted looking Rick when he wandered back over to the group. “You sure?”

“Yeah. We’ll catch up to you.” Rick assured him.

Carl stood up, Rosalina’s knife still dug into the ground. “I want to stay too. I’m her friend.”

There was a moment of silence, the two parents sharing a look before Lori rested a hand on her son’s shoulder. “Just be careful, okay?”

“I will.” While the family hugged, Rosalina turned to Daryl.

“Should I go with them? They’re taking Carl so they’re gonna want all the backup they can get.” She pointed out, nervously watching the young boy. 

Daryl stared at her, his eyes narrow, blinking away when she glanced back up at him. “He’s already got Shane and Rick, I’d say he’s pretty well protected.”

Uncertainly, Rosalina twisted her head around to see Carl jumping up and down excitedly, while Shane and Rick both looked grim. Turning back, she shook her head. “I don’t like the idea of him being out here. I’m gonna be on edge the whole way back if I don’t know he’s okay. I’d rather I went with them and knew they had more protection”

With a shrug, Daryl dug his foot into the ground, not meeting her eyes as he said, “Whatever, just don’t get yourself killed.”

“I promise.” With a smirk, her eyes crinkling up in the corners, she lifted her foot to nudge him in the knee. “You gonna be okay with this lot? I wouldn’t wanna abandon you with your babysitting duties if it’s gonna be too much for you.”

“I’ll be fine.” He grunted, rolling his eyes, finally lifting his head to look at her. 

Rosalina snorted, “Alright, if ya say so. You got enough ammo? I’m more than willing to give Andrea and Carol a couple of knives if you think they’ll need them.”

“Keep them for yourself, better you can look after yourself,” Daryl didn’t seem to realise the strange nature of his caring words until he caught sight of Rosalina’s mouth, dropped open in surprise. “And the kid. You’ll need all the ammo you can get with him around, won’t ya? Just look after him.”

Shoulders sagging disappointedly, Rosalina nodded to him once, managing a humoured smile before skipping over to Rick, oblivious to the eyes on her back but silently hopeful that they were there.

“Hey, General, figured you’re gonna need all the ammo you can get so I’ll be joining your late night quest.” She informed him, giving him little choice in the matter. However, he seemed grateful.

“Thank you. I’ll feel better about bringing Carl if you’re there.” Rosalina smiled, turning her back on him to lean down closer to Carl.

“So, what do you want?” She asked, withdrawing her array of knives and holding them out to him. “I’ll give you a choice; you can either take two of these, or, I let you take one of my all important, extremely sharp daggers for just this one mission.”

Carl’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, his mouth dropping open in surprise. The expression made Lori laugh quietly as she turned back too look at them, her section of the group already starting to walk away. For a moment, Lori felt certain that she was going to run back and snatch her son up into her arms. But the reassurance that both Rick and Rosalina would be there, protecting him, forced her to turn back and continue walking. 

“The dagger.” Carl finally answered, eyes still shining. 

Rosalina laughed, reaching to withdraw the dagger and handing it to Carl, grinning. “A fantastic choice, young sir. Now, you know how to use it right? No swinging it around or throwing it wherever you want, got it?”

Nodding determinedly, Carl straightened, holding the handle of the dagger tight in his small fist. Rosalina chuckled, running a hand through his hair before standing up. “Then I trust you. Lets go!”

Rick led them in the opposite direction to the rest of the team, keeping Rosalina on his left, Carl in between them and Shane, the young boy clutching Rosalina’s dagger tight. Rosalina kept up a running commentary with Carl, asking him questions about himself to keep him from getting scared or nervous in the forest. “So you’re really into comics? Alright, which is better, Marvel or DC?”

“DC!” Carl eagerly enthused, more of a spring in his step than before. “They have Batman and Superman!”

Rosalina scrunched her face up, shaking her head. “But Marvel has Ironman! And Black Widow! And Thor, and Loki! Not to mention everybody’s favourite neighbourhood Spiderman!”

The boy disagreed, lifting his chin up so that he could meet Rosalina’s jokingly offended eyes. “They’re all boring. DC has all the cool villains too, like the Joker and Penguin and Lex Luthor. And Harley Quinn!”

She pulled a face, grimacing in defeat. “Alright, I’ll give you that, DC does have more interesting villains. But all it’s heroes are so boring! None of them are anywhere near as funny as the Avengers. Although, I admit, I would happily trade Thor for Wonder Woman. She is just something else.”

Carl scrunched up his face in confusion, staring up at Rosalina’s adoring expression as she thought of the heroine. “You sound like you have a crush on her.”

Leaning down as they continued to walk, Rosalina whispered with a smile in the young boy’s ear. “Can you keep a secret?”

He nodded eagerly, leaning closer. She whispered, “I have a major crush on Wonder Woman. But you can’t tell anyone, okay? I like to pretend I’m one hundred percent loyal to Marvel and this sort of thing just can’t get out. Promise you won’t tell?”

“I promise!” Carl swore seriously, holding his pinky finger up. Rosalina hooked hers around it, the pair sharing a secret smile before she stood back up. “I still think DC is better.”

Just as Rosalina went to argue, Rick drew them to a stop, putting his arm in front of Rosalina as she went to take another step. “Wait.”

Rosalina followed his gaze to where she could hear the trees rustling, one hand going to the gun at her hip and the other to her sword. As they began to advance forward slowly, as a group, she made out the honey-brown fur and tall furry antlers of a stag.

Unable to help herself, she smiled, turning to grin at Rick. “It’s a stag!”

“I can see that.” He laughed, watching as it came to stand only a short distance away from them, standing brave and tall before them. It’s fur looked soft, a dark brown colour around it’s throat and fading into a warmer brown down it’s body, with shining gold highlights merged in. It’s tall, towering antlers were pointed and sharp, an impressive sight to behold.

Stepping forward, Shane raised his gun with an excited smirk, but before Rosalina could shove him away, Rick stopped him with one quiet word, “Shane.”

He gestured to Carl, who was staring up at the stag with the wonder only a child could keep in the world they lived in. Shane backed down immediately, watching with a genuine smile as Rosalina took Carl’s hand.

“Shall we see how close he’ll let us get?” She asked, softly smiling, bending down so that she was closer to his height. Carl grinned back up at her hopefully, coaxing a laugh from the three adults, Rosalina gently leading him forward.

Keeping in front of him, she kept her movements slow, eyes narrowing when she saw the stag’s head perk up, surveying his surroundings. She assumed, for a moment, that he had heard them but then realised he was looking in the opposite direction, and that his hackles were up. “Carl, honey, stop for-”

Her sentence was cut off when she was suddenly thrown backwards, releasing an agonised scream of pain as a bullet savaged her hip, shooting straight through and burying itself in Carl. She collapsed to the ground, panting heavily as she stared down at the blood seeping its way through her binder and onto her shirt. The blast of the bullet left her ears ringing, unable to hear the panicked voices around her clearly, her slight blurred by the tears that sprung to her eyes. She felt hands grab her, arms wrapping around her back and loud voices around her, managing only to say, “Should’ve put my chainmail on.”

Then, someone knocked the wound as they lifted her up from the ground, and with a scream of pain her eyes shut, her body falling limp.


	8. Tripping down memory lane

Liam Jones. Margaret Jones-no, not Jones, North. Margaret North. Anthony North.

David Jones. Lila Jones.

Liam was ten. He turned ten last year, on January thirteenth. Rosalina had brought him a new playstation and taken him to buy some games for it. Their mother hadn’t been happy, but seeing her two children together improved her mood drastically. They’d eaten pizza and she’d explained why pineapple should never be put on pizza. He ignored her and ate it anyway.

Where was Liam. She needed to see him. Liam.

Liam.

Liam.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rick couldn’t help but feel guilty as he sat at Rosalina’s side, staring aimlessly at the unconscious Rosalina. Her skin was clammy and cold, paler than he’d ever seen it. Her eyes fluttered every now and then, as though she was about to wake up, but they never opened. She was just dreaming, Hershel told him, but that knowledge didn’t stop his heart leaping every time she showed any signs of life.

She’d saved Carl’s life, Hershel had told him. When the bullet flew through her, it had slowed it down, enough to save Carl’s life. It was a miracle it missed any of the important organs, but they didn’t know the extent of the damage it had genuinely done until she woke up. They were still waiting.

It was possible her mobility would be limited. The bullet had passed straight through her front and exited through her back, meaning it could destroyed any number of nerves. But, Hershel was hopeful that the fact her legs were twitching and her arms were moving meant she’d make a full recovery. If she woke up. 

Deep down, Rick knew he’d rather be in the room downstairs, with his injured son. But the guilt had been eating him alive as he sat watching Hershel stabilise his boy while Rosalina was upstairs, with only Maggie and Patricia stitching her up, closing both the entry and exit wounds. It had been a clear shot, so they’d done it easy enough, to his relief. But then they were needed to help Carl, and Rosalina was left alone upstairs, fighting to wake up.

Her right leg twitched. Rick started, but quickly settled down, seeing her eyes were fluttering again. He began to question whether she was dreaming or being plagued by nightmares. “Rose?”

Of course, she didn’t respond. Part of him had expected her too, for her to sit up smirking with an ‘I really gotcha going there, didn’t I?’, but she didn’t. She stayed motionless on the bed, the only signs of life being the continuous fluttering of her eyelids and the occasional shake of a limb. “Thank you. You, er, you might’ve saved Carl’s life. Even if you didn’t mean to, you still did. So thank you.”

He was still light-headed from giving Carl his blood minutes before. There was a sick feeling churning in his stomach, and he couldn’t tell if it was from the sight of seeing his son being cut into, sweaty and screaming in agony, or the fact that he hadn’t eaten all day and still donated a pint of his blood.

Rosalina didn’t even look like herself as she lay in front of him. Her green hair, pinned back into a ponytail, had strands sticking to her forehead because of the sweat that gathered on her skin. Even her lips seemed to be drained of colour, having lost the soft pink colour the usually held and instead closer to a pale white. She looked devoid of life, none of the usual snark or sarcasm visible in her expression. It was deeply unsettling.

Hershel’s youngest daughter, Beth, a sweet blonde girl with soft delicate features, peaked her head around the door. Walking in quietly, she smiled at Rick. “Has she said anything yet?”

“No.” He said blankly, staring aimlessly at Rosalina’s form.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure she will,” Beth assured him, making her way across to Rosalina and pulling down the covers that had been set over her body. Upon seeing that Rosalina had been left only in a bra and jeans, which Maggie had freshly dressed her in as her own clothes had been soaked with blood, a bandage wound tightly around her waist, she reset the covers awkwardly. “She’s very pretty. What’s her name?”

A gut-inching feeling tore through Rick. He hadn’t even told them her name. “Rosalina, but everyone just calls her Rose.”

“Why? Rosalina’s such a nice name.” Beth complimented, smiling down at the woman in question, as though she could react to her kind words.

“Don’t know, it’s just what she told us to call her.” Rick shrugged, shaking his head.

Beth nodded, placing one gentle hand on Rosalina’s forehead to check her temperature. “Her vitals are all normal, Maggie said. She’s just recovering, won’t be long before she wakes up. Maggie’s gone to find your wife, Lori I think? She should be back soon if you want to go check on Carl.”

Rick nodded, but didn’t move, wordlessly gesturing to Rosalina. Beth understood immediately. “I’ll stay up here with her, just in case she wakes up. If she does, you’ll be the first person I call.”

“Thank you.” Rick managed, stumbling up from his seat, which Beth promptly took, and leaving the room with a final backwards glance to Rosalina, mentally praying for her to wake up. But still, she slept on.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jasper Black. He took her to see The Rocky Horror Show. She’d dressed up as Janet, expecting him to go as Brad, but instead he showed up in his usual leather jacket and jeans ensemble. She was so disappointed.

He gave her a ring. ‘For the future’ he’d told her, but she couldn’t picture a future with him. Not then, not now.

They never ended it. They never broke up.

He’s probably dead now. She’ll never see him again.

She was glad.

No more Jasper. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Andrea cowered in the ditch, screaming as she was forced to hold off a walker with only her bare hands, arching away from it’s looming, blackened teeth. She was breathed out a sigh of relief when out of nowhere the walker was knocked away from her.

Throwing herself up, she saw a young woman sat on the back of a horse, a bat hanging down on her one side, the headless walker lying motionless at the horse’s feet. The rest of the group stared up at her in shock, Daryl raising his crossbow and Lori arming herself with her borrowed gun. “Lori? Lori Grimes?”

Immediately, panic shot through the mother. “That’s me, I’m Lori Grimes.” 

“Rick sent me,” The short haired woman had a strong southern drawl. “You gotta come now. There’s been an accident, Carl and another girl from your group have been shot. He’s still alive, but you gotta come now.”

Her words sent shock spiralling throughout the camp, gasps sounding throughout.

“Rose?” Daryl demanded, stalking up to the woman on the horse, focusing on ‘another girl’. “The girl who got shot, is it Rose?”

“I don’t know, Rick never told me her name,” The woman apologised, taking a shaking Lori’s hand and pulling her up onto the horse with ease. “She’s got green hair and had a sword, that’s all I can tell you.”

“Oh god.” Carol gasped, her hand covering her mouth, while the rest of the group exchanged panicked looks.

“Is she alive?” Daryl angrily demanded, the tight grip on his crossbow turning the skin under his fingernails white. 

“She’s stable, but still unconscious.” She assured them all, Glenn letting out a sigh of relief. “Rick said you had others on the highway, that big traffic snarl? Backtrack to Fairburn Road, two miles down is our farm. You’ll see the mailbox, the name’s Greene.”

With that, she rode off, Lori gripping her waist behind her on the horse. The group watched them leave, staring around in shock. 

Fuming, Daryl kicked at a tree, gritting his teeth as pain resonated through his leg. “What the hell are you all doing standing around for! Lets fucking go!”

They took off in a hurry, following the storming Daryl as he cut through the trees, slashing at overhanging branches with his knife in his fury. There was only one thing on his mind as they jogged through the forest, and she had green hair and a bullet wound in her hip.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The same memories were flittering through her mind, over and over again. It was getting boring.

Her sixteenth birthday flew through her mind for the second time, only this time she could remember the name of the strip club they’d gone to just to shame all of the married men perving on the young women. She’d made some lifelong friends that night, and discovered that the buffets in strip clubs were phenomenal. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“How is she?” Lori asked, having torn herself away from Carl for the first time in the two hours she’d been at the farm house to travel upstairs and see Rosalina.

Beth still sat patiently next to her bedside, pale blue eyes on the woman on the bed. “The same. She was smiling a couple of seconds ago, and she made a noise that I think could’ve been a laugh, but then she fell back under too quickly for me to be able to tell.”

Lori nodded, leaning against the door frame. “Has she woke up yet? Properly I mean.”

“No, she’s been asleep since Rick brought her back here.” Beth informed her, pulling the cover down so that Rosalina could breath easier. “Can you open the windows? Her temperatures going up but I don’t want to pull the covers off her because she isn’t.....fully dressed.”

“Of course.” Lori agreed, walking across the room to hoist up the heavy wood framed windows. A welcomed blast of cold air greeted her, and when she turned around she saw Rosalina sigh contently, pushing up off the bed momentarily with her shoulders, before turning on her injured side, as though she really was merely sleeping.

Beth jumped up immediately, pulling Rosalina gently down back onto her back, explaining to Lori, “She can’t put too much pressure on those stitches. They’re strong, but if she moves around to much over the next few days, they’re going to break.”

Lori nodded in understanding, standing in place at the bottom of Rosalina’s bed. There was a mixture of guilt and gratitude coursing through the mother’s body as she stared down at the younger woman. The gratitude overcame the guilt, and Lori made a silent promise then and there that she when Rosalina woke up, because she knew she would, she would do everything she could to thank the girl for saving her little boy’s life.

The two watched in silence as Rosalina’s chest rose and fell, the only sign of life other than a quiet humming she had begun to emit.

Sharing a look of confusion, Beth and Lori both leaned forward, waiting for Rosalina to move. But instead, she only murmured, “Ain’t no rest for the wicked.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She used to sing so loudly, Mark joked she didn’t need a microphone. She’d joked they didn’t need an electric guitar player in a jazz band. He’d laughed. They’d all laughed.

That dark club they'd always played at, The Miners. The drunk old men that Mark always swore he’d protect her from as they’d moved into the dressing room. 

Don’t touch me.

He touched her.

Don’t fucking touch me.

He didn’t touch her again.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night quickly came, and the only two who slept in the entire group, at the farm and on the highway, was Rosalina and Carl. In only a short few hours, too much had happened.

Shane returned with the refilibrator Hershel had needed to operate on Carl. He had left with Otis, the man who had accidentally shot Carl and Rosalina, but returned alone. Despite the devastation to the Greene family, Hershel was able to operate on Carl, removing the shattered bullet shards from the boy’s stomach and saving his life. 

During the early hours of the morning, Glenn and T-Dog had arrived, a feverous T-Dog being cared for by an over-worked Hershel downstairs. Glenn, meanwhile, had taken the grieving Beth’s place at Rosalina’s side. Despite Maggie and Beth both informing him that it was unlikely Rosalina could hear him, he chatted to her about nonsense anyway, stopping only to listen to her slurred voice mutter the lyrics of songs he’d never heard of, but enjoyed hearing anyway. 

“Daryl was pretty worried you know,” Glenn smirked, having paused for Rosalina to sing. “He actually seemed like he might care. I’ll tell you that again when you wake up so you can tease the fuck out of him. He’ll hate me, but what’s new?”

“Daryl.” Rosalina repeated softly, and Glenn started. This was the first time she’d reacted to anything he’d said, and he waited for any sign that she might be waking up. But instead she rolled out her side, which he quickly stepped forward to roll her back-Maggie had warned him about her stitches. 

“Looks like he isn’t the only one who cares.” Glenn laughed, not noticing Maggie stood at the door as he sat back. 

He stared at Rosalina for a few moments, the smile on his face slipping. Silently, he bowed his head, clasping his hands together and beginning to mutter. “Are you praying?”

He glanced up, seeing Maggie lean against the door frame, something of a mix of a smile and a smirk on her face. “Why do you sneak up on people so much?” 

“They’re easy to sneak up on.” She answered teasingly, moving inside to sit on the edge of Rosalina’s bed, opposite Glenn. 

Glenn snorted, nodding. “I was praying. I was trying to anyway.”

“Are you religious?” The girl asked, swinging on leg up onto the bed, pulling it underneath her. She was careful not to move Rosalina. “You pray a lot?”

Shaking his head, Glenn replied, “Actually, uh, this was my first try.”

“Ever?” Maggie questioned, taken aback. “Wow, sorry. I didn’t mean to wreck your first time.”

From where she lay, Rosalina murmured something that sounded suspiciously like, ‘that’s what she said’, but Glenn ignored it, certain he had misheard. “It’s fine. I’m sure God got the gist.”

“What you praying for?” Maggie tucked her hair behind her ear, tilting her heads to smile softly at Glenn. 

“My friends,” He answered. “Looks like they could all use a little help right now. You think...you think God exists?”

Maggie shrugged, pulling the covers on top of Rosalina down so that they covered her feet. “I always took it on faith. Lately I’ve wondered. Everything that’s happened here, must have been a lot of praying going on. It seems quite a few went unanswered.”

Her pessimistic response made Glenn chuckle humourlessly. “Thanks, this is really helping.”

“Sorry,” Maggie apologised, still smiling. “Carry on.”

She stood up, only to be stopped by a groggy voice. “For fucks sake, kiss already. The sexual tension is making me uncomfortable.” 

Glenn clumsily sprung forward, almost tripping up over his own feet in his hurry to reach Rosalina, who finally showed her dark green eyes for the first time in fourteen hours. “Rose?”

“No, it’s Batman. Wait Batman sucks. It’s Black Widow,” Her word were spoken with a slight slur that could only be expected given the ordeal she had gone through, and she seemed to be trying to make up for that with a joking tone. 

On her opposite side, Maggie moved forward, helping her to sit up gently, keeping the covers tucked under her arms. “Fuck me, that hurts.”

Her hand flew down to her bandaged side, wincing in pain, resisting the urge to jab the hole in her side. “Careful, you haven’t popped your stitches have you?”

“Doesn’t feel like it,” She hissed out through gritted teeth, eyes closed tightly. “Son of a bitch!”

“Lie back down,” Glenn half ordered, half suggested, one hand on her bare shoulder, gently leaning her down. Maggie released her, setting the pillows up so that she was still propped up enough to see them and talk comfortably. “Are you okay?”

“I got shot, Glenn, what the fuck do you think?” Her blunt response, accompanied with a blank expression and raised eyebrow, made Maggie snort. Glenn rolled his eyes, smiling. “Now does someone wanna tell me where the fuck I am and who the fuck you are? That was not meant as an insult by the way, I’ve just woken up in a strange room and I’m very confused.”

“It’s fine,” Maggie laughed, already having taken a liking to the woman, despite her rambling. “I’m Maggie Greene, this is my father’s farm. Hershel, my dad, he patched up your little brother Carl-”

“Oh gods, Carl!” Rosalina suddenly exclaimed, oblivious to the fact Maggie thought Carl was her younger brother, throwing herself forward. The reaction was immediate, Maggie wrapping a hand around her arm as Rosalina released an agonising scream of pain as she felt the stitches in her side pull apart. Glenn’s eyes widened in fear.

“Push her back down,” Maggie ordered, taking action immediately, stripping the covers and unwrapping the bandages around her middle. Blood had already quickly began to stain the plain white material, at an alarmingly fast rate that made Glenn’s heart beat faster. “Dad!”

The blood was dripping from the wound. She’d clearly torn the stitches that had sewn up the entry wound, and a quick check of her back showed the rest were still intact.

Hershel came running through the door, alarmed by Maggie’s panicked yell. He saw the twisting, pained Rosalina being held down by a terrified Glenn while Maggie tossed aside the bloody bandages. “Maggie, get me the first aid kit.”

She did as she was told, behaving like a professionally trained nurse, Hershel taking her place. He spread his hands across the blood-stained skin around the bullet wound, keeping it taunt. “Stop her thrashing around so much, she’s going to spill more blood and we might not have someone who matches her to donate more!”

Glenn followed his orders, quietly pleading with Rosalina as he held her arms down by the wrists, “Rose, come on, you’re gonna do more damage.”

“It hurts,” She cried out, sounding as young as Carl in her pain, twisting her wrist around so that she forced Glenn to drop his grip, instead crushing his hand in hers. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

“Here.” Maggie reappeared, thrusting the first aid kit into Hershel’s waiting hands. 

He hurriedly pulled out a needle and thread, Maggie cleaning away some of the surrounding blood with a alcohol-soaked wipe, both of them seeing that the bullet hole had ripped further along her front, leaving her with not only a hole, but also a small tear along the left side. “Maggie, heat the needle.”

Pulling out a lighter, Maggie did as ordered, handing it back to Hershel with shaky hands, her facade of being in control beginning to fade as she looked down at the withering Rosalina, knowing the worst was about to come. 

Hershel threaded up the needle, directing it towards the end of the tear, deciding it would be best to work outwards. “Maggie, hold her down, and get her something to bite down on. This is going to hurt.”

“Oh fuck!” Rosalina cried out, hearing his warning, her head falling back against the pillows. She clutched Glenn’s hand as Maggie pulled back to push against her shoulders, tears freely streaming down her face from her bloodshot eyes as the needle dug into her skin. “FUCK!”

Hershel ignored her yells, knowing how sensitive the area was because of the damage the bullet hole had done inside. As he continued to stitch, he couldn’t help but be worried by the lack of movement in her legs, only twitching while her shoulders jarred upwards every time he made a new stitch. “Almost done!”

“Well thank fuck for that!” She cried out, every muscle taunt and tense. From downstairs, Rick and Lori both ran in, staring in horror at the bloody, chaotic sight that greeted them. Hershel was focused purely on his work, while Glenn worked on continuing to hold down a thrashing, screaming Rosalina. Maggie stood close at her father’s side, face scrunched up with sympathy as she stared sadly down at Rosalina.

“Rose!” Rick yelled, running forward, racing around the bed to the side Hershel wasn’t fixing up, helping Glenn to hold her down. “What happened?”

“She popped her stitches!” Glenn yelled back when Rosalina let out a sudden scream of pain as Hershel dug a little too deep into the skin, her back arching up. Rick hurriedly forced her back down.

“And it’s hurting her this bad?” Rick yelled back, eyes wide. 

Hershel was the one to answer, as he began to finish the final stitch, “The wound tore when she popped her stitches, its spread along her middle. She’s lucky it didn’t rip across her stomach rather than along her side.”

“Oh cause I feel so lucky right now.” She breathed out, trembling as Hershel sat back. Maggie moved in front of him, gently lifting her up with the help of a still shell-shocked Glenn and Rick so as to wrap a fresh bandage around her waist. 

“You are,” Hershel informed her gravely, her eyes flickering closed as exhaustion from the trauma her body had been forced through hit her like a truck. “For now, I need you to test something for me. Can you lift your left leg?”

Eyes opening to stare at him disbelieving, Rosalina grudgingly did as ordered, barely managing to lift her leg up more than a few centimetres of the bed. She frowned, her breathing picking up when it fell back down heavily against the mattress, the same panic from moments before returning. “Why was that so hard? Oh god, am I paralysed?”

“I don’t think so,” Hershel shook his head, aware of the terrified glances being shot at him from around the room, Rosalina’s the most fearful of all. “I think you need to be up and moving as soon as possible-your joints have seized up from being still for so long. If you can move, then you should be okay after a few weeks of getting used to walking around again. It’s just gonna take a while.”

“Oh,” Rosalina managed a sigh of relief, laughing almost hysterically. “Well, this has been the most terrifying wake up of my life. So, thanks Doc, and Miss Maggie for keeping me down, and dearest Glenn for letting me break his hand. Now, if you all don’t mind, I’m hyper aware of the fact I’m lying here in just a bra, which by the way isn’t mine and I have questions about that, but it’s making me very uncomfortable, so if you don’t mind, I’m going back to sleep.”

Glenn hurriedly released her hand, himself, Rick and Hershel averting their eyes from where Rosalina lay, Lori giving the girl a smile that was shakily returned. “Come on, we’ll leave you to sleep. I’ll tell Carl you’re okay. It was his first question when he woke up.”

Rosalina laughed, eyes closed. “Tell him I’m perfectly fine and he oughta be worrying bout himself, not me. I’ll be fine. I’m Rosalina Jones.”

“I thought you were Black Widow?” Glenn joked, as he was coaxed out of the room after Rick. 

With a chuckle, Rosalina moved her head so that it was lying in the direction of the door, opening her eyes to watch the group leave. “That’s just my alias, sweetie. I go by many names.”

She gave them a final wink before she was left alone, the door being closed behind Maggie. To the silent room, she sighed, pulling her right arm up and leaning it behind her head, all too aware of the throbbing pain in her side. “And then there was one.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Where’s Rose?” The second he had stepped off his motorcycle, on the grass outside the farmhouse of the Greene family, Daryl had demanded the answer to the question that had plagued him all night. “Is she okay?”

The porch was filled by the weary parents of Carl, Maggie, Hershel and T-Dog, all of them looking as though they hadn’t slept in weeks. The sight spurred fear into the group, who had finally arrived after their own restless night on the highway.

It was hard to tell who looked worse for wear out of Daryl and Carol. The mother was clearly on edge, fidgeting with her fingers on her arms, her lips pressed tightly together. 

Daryl, on the other hand, stood stock still, his muscles pulled taunt and his eyes heavy from lack of sleep. He’d spent the night patrolling the road for walkers with an equally wide awake Andrea, who had tried to encourage conversation only to have the redneck shoot her down every time. He just wanted to see Rosalina. 

A tired, weak looking Rick was the first to answer. “She’s upstairs, sleeping I think. She woke up for the first time this morning and immediately popped her stitches, Hershel had to patch her back up. She’s pretty delicate at the minute, even if she won’t admit it.”

Rick was taken aback to see that Daryl looked something close to panicked, clenching his fists tight and rubbing the back of his neck. Almost nervously, he asked, “Can I see her?”

Questioningly, Rick looked back to Hershel, who nodded. “First door when you go up the stairs.”

Daryl nodded to him gratefully, edging his way around those gathered on the porch, slinging his crossbow onto his back. 

At the top of the stairs, he carefully pushed his way through the closest door, seeing a peaceful Rosalina lying on her back against the mattress. Her lower half was covered by a thin sheet, above her hips open and exposed, revealing a bandage wrapped around her waist. Despite the situation, Daryl’s mouth twitched at the sight of her in a lacy black bra, her hair lying in curls across the pillow. If he tried, he could pretend she was just sleeping after a long day, and not exhausted from being shot through the abdomen. 

“Which of you is it this time?” The creaking of the door had given him away, and he jumped in surprise when Rosalina called out, her eyes still closed. Her voice betrayed her tired state, quiet and scratchy. “If it’s you, Glenn, then you’d better have brought something for me to drink because I’m dying of thirst here. And I don’t mean water. I got shot, I’m sure someone can spare some bourbon around here.”

“Not Glenn, and I ain’t got no bourbon. Sorry to disappoint,” Hearing his gruff voice, Rosalina’s eyes flew open, starting upright only to let out a cry of pain. Daryl rushed forward, gently pushing her back down against the bed. “Hey, careful. Rick said you’ve already popped your stitches once today.”

“Ugh, what a snitch.” Rosalina joked, but her face was still scrunched up in pain. Her attention, however, was diverted to the warm feeling of Daryl’s calloused hand on her cold, clammy skin. Following her gaze, Daryl withdraw immediately, dropping his hand to his side and stepping back. 

Rosalina immediately missed the warmth.

“You alright?” He affirmed, and Rosalina could’ve sworn there was traces of a red blush on his dirt covered cheeks. She blinked, keeping the pleasing thought to herself and biting back a smirk.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” She assured him, gently sliding herself up in the bed so that she could talk to him comfortably. “Takes more than a bullet to stop me I guess. Did you find Sophia yet?”

Daryl shook his head, Rosalina’s shoulders sagging. “We went out searching for her last night after Glenn and T-Dog came up here and didn't find anything except a few stray walkers. We’re gonna go searching again later, and we left a note for her in case she finds her way back up to the highway.”

“Good,” Rosalina breathed, cheeks colouring when she realised she was still lying in her bra and nothing more. Pulling the covers up under her arms, she shot him a piercing glare, but there was a smirk on her lips as she played off her embarrassment. “So you didn’t think it would be a good idea to tell me I was half-naked?” 

Daryl snorted, returning her smirk with a cocky one of his one. “I was enjoying the view. I kinda like you like this.”

Recognising the conversation somewhere in the back of her hazy mind, Rosalina replied. “Then maybe I’ll have to walk around in just a bra more often, give you something to look at.”

“You won’t hear me complaining,” For a moment, they remained smirking at each other, green eyes against brown ones. Daryl was the first to break away, glancing back down at the floor, much to Rosalina’s disappointment. “Anyway, I just wanted to check on you. We’re gonna set up camp somewhere on the farm. I’ll sort your tent out ready for you when you’re ready to come join us.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” Rosalina warned him, wincing when she moved as thought to prove her point. “I’ve missed sleeping on a mattress.”

“Don’t get to used to it,” Daryl smirked, edging his way towards the door again. “You’ll be back annoying the shit out of me soon enough, I bet.”

“I don’t need to leave this room to do that,” She smiled up at him sweetly, a mischievous spark dancing in her eyes. “I can do that when you visit me up here in my lonely tower.”

“Who said I’d visit you?” He challenged, jutting his chin out, but there was humour in his eyes.

Rosalina smiled, turning over onto her other, not injured side and calling over to him, “Me, because I’m gonna be bored senseless sat on my own up here otherwise. And you better bring me some books, cause from what I’ve heard the Greene’s are religious and I don’t wanna burn myself trying to read the bible.”

From across the room, Daryl laughed, shaking his head with a smirk as he opened the door. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Good. See you later, Dixon.”

“Later, Rose.” 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, I just wanted to say thank you all so much for all your support, you're all amazing! I'm gonna be trying to keep up with weekly updates, but I go back to school next Wednesday, so I may miss a few weeks, but I promise I'll find ways to make it up to you all if that happens! Hope you're all enjoying the story and loving Rose as much as I love her! Thanks for reading xx


	9. Princess Rosalina Jones of House Slytherin-the new Disney film, coming to a cinema near you soon!

“Fuck me, I’m bored.” Rosalina groaned. She’d been trapped in the same room for two days and a half now, including the night that she’d been passed out for. She was not so slowly losing her mind.

Every tiny detail about her room seemed to be etched in her mind, from the tiny stick man drawing in the far left corner, to the one hundred and six flowers printed on the wallpaper along the wall(she’d started counting them to try and help herself fall asleep and forget the pain in her side).

She was starting to get stir crazy, especially as nobody had been to visit her since she woke up that morning. Since Daryl the day before, she’d only seen Patricia, a quiet but kind woman who’d brought her food. Despite trying to coax her to stay a little longer, the woman had quickly come and gone, leaving Rosalina stuck in her room alone.

Of course, she hadn’t stayed in the bed like she was supposed to. She’d been a terrible patient, nosying around the room with curiosity, settling down on the window bay seating for a couple of hours the previous afternoon to read a book she’d discovered underneath the bed, but she quick finished and discarded it.

The late morning sun creeped it’s way through the gaps in the curtains. With a groan, Rosalina swung herself out of bed, carefully making her way over to the window with her stiff limbs and pulling open the curtains. Outside, she was met with a view of her group setting themselves up on the farm’s front field, just along the edge of a collection of trees. They’d headed back to the highway yesterday after seeing Carl and Rosalina were both going to survive, and now they were setting up base on the farm instead. 

Rosalina stared wistfully at the group, wishing nothing more than to be able to skip down the stairs and out into the field to join them. But instead she was trapped in the room, a bandage around her waist and no clean shirt to wear or any sort of distraction to keep her from insanity.

Turning her back on the image of freedom, she faced the room again. Her lip curled up in pure hatred, resisting the urge to kick the bed opposite her. “Fuck it, I should at least be allowed to try and find a shirt to wear. Walking around half-naked isn’t a good look, no matter what Daryl jokes.”

Even standing up was a strain on her legs, and she had to stumble over to the bed and sit back down, stretching them out before she could start to walk again. The muscles felt tight and uncomfortable, and as Hershel had said her joints had all seized up, making it superbly difficult to move. That, however, didn’t stop her from trying.

Forcing herself back onto her feet and ignoring the pull she felt from her ankle to her hip, she made her way to the door, trying hard to step as lightly as she could. Sliding out into the hallway, she ducked into the first room she saw, rolling her eyes as she came face to face with a bathroom. 

Turning around, she reentered the hallway, closing another door randomly and entering. This process was repeated a third time before she eventually found one of the Greene girls’ rooms, immediately making her way to the wardrobe and pulling out the first shirt she could find. It was red and black checked, slightly too long for Rosalina, but she didn’t care. 

Pulling it on, she buttoned it up, finding it was uncomfortably tight around the chest area, forcing her to flash a bit more skin than she would’ve liked by leaving the top two buttons undone. She proceeded to roll up the sleeves to her elbows, briefly admiring her appearance in the mirror with a satisfied smile before exiting the room again.

Automatically, she made her way back over to her own room, but when her fingers pressed against the wood of the door, she paused. Her eyes slid past the door, head turning to look at the inviting stairs which lead downstairs, to people and conversation and something other than flowered wallpaper and stick men drawings. She bit down hard on her lip.

“Fuck it.” She muttered, slowly making her way over to the stairs. Her hand gripped the bannister firmly, supporting her as she walked down the stairs, wincing as pain shot through her aching muscles but forcing herself further anyway. 

Finally, she reached the ground floor, and the smile that took over her face was blinding. She didn’t have long to celebrate, however, as she knew the minute someone saw her out of bed she would be ushered upstairs once again. 

So instead, she made a break for the door, glancing over her shoulder to check for anyone who could stop her. She slid through the front door, feeling the warmth of the sun on her skin and the breeze of the wind in her hair. “Thank all the gods above I am out of that prison.”

Pushing herself onwards, she left the house behind her, bare feet touching down on the prickly grass of the field. She didn’t give herself chance to enjoy the moment, spurring forward, slowly feeling her joints loosen the further she walked, to the point where she only had a slight limp as she reached the RV.

Ducking behind it, she looked around her with a smile. Hidden in the trees, Maggie and Glenn were talking, Dale walking past them with a knowing smirk. Rosalina could only imagine they were having the same sort of flirty conversation she had awakened to the day before. 

A few feet away from the lovebirds, Andrea and Shane seemed to be engrossed in a heated discussion, the only sort the blonde seemed to be able to hold. With a roll of her eyes, Rosalina continued to survey, finally catching sight of the person she mainly wanted to see.

Daryl was kneeling down next to the bag strapped to his motorbike, withdrawing a flask and taking a long sip. Snorting at the sight, Rosalina moved as quickly as she could behind the RV and over to him, approaching him quietly from behind. “If that’s bourbon and you’re holding out on me, I’m gonna be pissed.”

He started, jolting so that the flask slipped through his fingers. He ignored it, turning around to gape at the smirking Rosalina. “Jesus fucking christ. What the hell are you doing out of bed?”

“I made a daring escape,” She admitted, lifting her chin up so that she could hold his gaze as he straightened up to his full height. She hated that he was almost a full foot taller than her, silently wishing she had her high heels back. “Keep quiet though, I don’t want them hauling me back off to my room.”

“You shouldn’t be moving around,” Daryl told her sternly, jutting his chin to where her bullet wound was hidden by her stolen shirt. “You’re gonna get yourself hurt even worse, and I ain’t having that hanging over my head. Come on, I’ll get you back over to the house.”

“Oh come on,” She whined, eyes wide and pleading as Daryl wrapped a hand around her arm to lead her back to where she had come from. “Please don't make me go back, it’s so boring. There’s nothing to do and nobody to speak to and I honestly considered abseiling out of the window with bed sheets just for something to do.”

Daryl shook his head in disbelief, scoffing at her reasoning. “You’re putting yourself at risk just because you’re bored? D’you have any idea how pathetic that sounds?”

His words had an instant effect on the shorter woman, who yanked her arm out of his grip, glowering up at him furiously. “Fuck you, asshole! I got shot two days ago, and the only people who came to check on me haven’t bothered to come and see me since they knew I was alright! I feel like an absolute piece of shit stuck up there in that prison, and if you think I’m going back you’ve got another thing coming. I’d rather open a vein than spend another twenty-four hours alone in that hell.”

Tension hung in the air between them, both falling silent. Rosalina stared defiantly at Daryl, her eyes flashing furiously, her shoulders drawn back and jaw set in. The redneck on the other hand, dropped his gaze to her feet, rubbing the nape of his neck. When he finally looked back up, Rosalina was surprised to see guilt in his eyes.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come and see you,” The apology was muttered and awkward, but it was an apology and that was all Rosalina wanted. “But right now, you can’t be walking around and risking opening up the wound again. So either go back to your room or go and sit in the RV cause I ain’t gonna let you wander round and get yourself hurt just cause you’re a little lonely.”

The quiet moment of compassion Rosalina had seen in his eyes when he’d apologised was gone, replaced instead by a harsh certainty that he was right and she was wrong, and if she didn’t listen to him he would make her listen to him. She sighed. “I’ll go back to my room. But I wanna take my books-”

“Deal.” Daryl agreed, eager to get her back to where she wouldn’t hurt herself and Rick wouldn’t bite his head off for letting her walk around. Rosalina narrowed her eyes, continuing with her requests despite having been interrupted.

“-and, you come see me at some point today so I don’t go stir crazy.” She finished, smirking. Daryl raised his eyebrows, seeming to question her seriousness with the request, before nodding.

“Fine, I promise I’ll come see you later. Lets go, princess.” Rosalina followed behind him happily enough, pleased he’d agreed to her demands so easily. 

He ducked into the RV, leaving Rosalina outside, wordlessly reappearing with a box of books in his hands. When Rosalina gave him a questioning look, he explained shortly, “I found these patrolling last night on the highway. Thought you might like them.”

Rosalina couldn’t surprise a smile, “Thanks, that’s actually really nice of you.”

“Yeah, don’t get used to it.” He warned gruffly, but he wouldn’t meet her eyes as they started walking again. Rosalina’s smile stayed on her face all the way to the house and up the stairs, wavering only when she was sat back down on the familiar bed. 

“Have you got to go right away?” She asked with her head down, one leg trailing off the bed, tracing patterns on the hard wooden floor. 

Daryl watched her, one foot already out the door when her eyes flew up to meet his. He faltered. “I gotta go look for Sophia. I’m the only one who can right now.”

“What about Shane?” Rosalina thought that she hid her desperation well, but Daryl could still see the pleading gleam in her gaze and it caused an unfamiliar twist in his stomach.

“He twisted his ankle on that supply run with Otis. Can’t risk making it worse,” He explained shortly, watching her shoulders drop and head fall back down. Before he could stop himself, the words slipped from his lips, “I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Rosalina dismissed, shaking her head. When she looked back up at him, there was a smile on her lips that didn’t quite meet her eyes. “I’ll see you later though, right?”

“I made a promise, didn’t I?” The slight drawl in his words sent sparks through Rosalina’s body, and her smile lifted to become a real one. “See ya later, Rose.”

“Bye Daryl.” He froze, surprised to hear his first name spoken in that addictive English accent that Rosalina had. But, before Rosalina could notice his pause, he started moving again, hurriedly leaving the room and closing the door. 

Rosalina sighed as she listened to Daryl’s footsteps become distant down the stairs, waiting until she couldn’t hear him anymore before pulling a book out of the box he had gifted her with. She found herself looking down at a book of poetry from the thirties, a soft laugh leaving her lips. “Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She was wrong. Despite the books Daryl had given her, Rosalina was still bored senseless by the time Patricia brought in her dinner. Once again, she’d had a lonely and miserable day, spent mainly staring out of the window desperately at the people who petered around with their own tasks. She’d received a wave from Maggie and Glenn, who were both kitted out on horses. After yelling down to ask what they were doing, she’d been informed they were making a run into town for supplies. Her jealousy became almost unbearable as she watched them ride away.

After they’d left, her irritableness had only increased, finding herself laying back in her bed internally arguing with herself. She was being ungrateful, wanting to throw the kindness Hershel and his family had shown her back in their faces just because she was feeling lonely. Daryl was right, she was being pathetic.

But then again, she’d got shot. She’d had a bullet tear through her flesh and make a mess of her skin and nobody could even be bothered to stick their head around the door to say quick hello? It was bull-shit. Complete and total bull-shit.

This argument ran through her mind in circles for what felt like hours, finally reaching the point where she could only scream in frustration into her pillow like a teenager after an argument with their parents. When she reemerged, she found a young blonde girl watching her with wide eyes. “Well, this is embarrassing.”

“Are you okay?” She asked tentatively, and Rosalina’s heart melted. 

“I’m fine, sweetheart,” She assured her, giving a soft smile that she usually kept reserved for Carl and Sophia. But, while this girl may have been closer to her own age than either of the two children, she had an aura of innocence around her that made Rosalina immediately feel protective over her. “I didn’t mean to scare you, just getting a bit restless in here.”

“I can imagine. It must be kind of lonely up here on your own.” The girl agreed with a gentle voice, timidly stepping into the room and out of the doorway where she’d been cowering. 

“You can say that agin,” Rosalina sighed, sitting up so that she could hold a proper conversation with the girl. “I’m Rose.”

“Beth,” She introduced, crossing the room gingerly taking the hand Rosalina offered to her. “I sat with you for a while before when you were still asleep.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Rosalina smiled gratefully, and her calm tone of voice seem to steadily relax Beth, who took the chair sat next to her bedside. “It’s been a while since I had a normal conversation with someone, so my apologies if I’m a little rusty.”

The girl giggled, which only encouraged Rosalina’s feelings of protectiveness. In her psychologist’s mind, she knew that deep down she was finding a replacement for Sophia in the sweet girl beside her. But she ignored her own analysis, instead trying her hardest to keep the smile on Beth’s face in place. “How old are you Beth?”

“Sixteen,” Beth answered, still smiling. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-three, positively ancient compared to you.” She joked. Beth laughed again, but she seemed surprised by Rosalina’s revelation.

“Maggie and I thought you were only twenty,” She informed her, dancing her fingers along the tops of her thighs, a nervous habit Rosalina supposed. “Rick said your name was actually Rosalina. Is that true?”

“Yeah, but it’s a bit of a mouthful to get out when you’re in a hurry,” Rosalina admitted, resisting the urge to make a less than appropriate joke about her words. “I prefer to just stick with Rose, easier for everyone.”

“But Rosalina is so pretty,” Beth argued, tilting her head. “It’s all fancy, the sort of name you read in a fairy tale.”

“Exactly why I don’t use it. I’m not exactly a Disney princess, sweetheart.” The older woman pointed out, winking playfully. 

But still Beth disagreed. “If I had a name like yours, I’d make sure everyone always used it. It’s too nice to waste by shortening it.”

For a moment, Rosalina stared at her, tilting her head curiously. When she spoke again, there was a kind smile on her face, directed only at the young girl. “Tell you what; I’m giving you, and you alone the permission to use my full name, seeing as you like it so much. Is that alright with you?”

Beth nodded happily, laughing. “Thanks, Rosalina.”

“No problem,” Rosalina studied her, asking curiously, “Has anybody told you how remarkably like Luna Lovegood you look?” 

“I do?” She questioned, taken aback. “You mean Luna from Harry Potter?”

“Of course, she’s the best Luna there is!” Rosalina exclaimed, leaning forward. “You remind me of her a lot! Have you read Harry Potter?”

“A hundred times!” Beth laughed happily, Rosalina clearly having found a subject she was passionate about. “Prisoner of Azkaban is my favourite book ever!”

“Yes, same!” Rosalina lifted her hand, and Beth laughingly high-fived her. “I’m gonna take a wild guess and say you’re a Ravenclaw?”

Beth nodded, grinning widely. “Wait, I want to guess your house. Gryffindor?”

Smirking, Rosalina shook her head. “Sorry, total stone hearted Slytherin. Didn’t the hair give me away? Or at least my sparking wit and ability to get shot and walk away completely fine? That’s pure Slytherin stubbornness right there.”

“Yeah, but Slytherins are usually mean and dark. You seem pretty nice.” Beth defended, drawing a chuckle from Rosalina.

“That was both an insult to my house and a compliment to me personally, so thank you,” She was surprised by how at ease she felt in that moment, free from all worry and able to have a casual conversation about one of her favourite book series. “Okay, who’s your favourite character? For me, it has to be Tonks or Ginny-only book Ginny that is, the Ginny in the movies is appalling!”

“I know right?” Beth agreed, pulling a face of disgust. “And I think my favourite would have to be either the Weasley twins or Hermione. I hate Dumbledore though.”

“Oh my gods, same!”

Almost an hour later, a weary Daryl entered Rosalina’s designated bedroom to find the girl in question sat having an avid discussion with Hershel’s youngest daughter, her words flying furiously fast and her face lit up with a wide smile.

“-and obviously, I wasn’t about to turn down the chance to share a taxi with freaking Beyonce, but I seriously had to get to this gig so I just said to her,” She paused, turning to see Daryl awkwardly stood in the doorway, his hands behind his back and his eyebrows raised at the sight in front of him. “Hey, Daryl. You were taking forever so Beth came to keep me company, and she is freaking awesome! “

“Says the girl who got pulled up on stage with The Rolling Stones!” Beth exclaimed with a laugh, giving Rosalina a shove. Rosalina rolled her eyes, but couldn’t wipe the smile off her face.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Go on, you need to eat, I can smell your dinner cooking from all the way up here,” She jutted her head to the door, seeing Beth’s face drop slightly. “Don’t worry, I’ll still be up here when you’re finished, and I’ll tell you the rest of the story away from prying ears.”

“Fine,” Beth groaned, standing up and moving towards the door, edging her way around Daryl. “See you later Rosalina.” 

“Laters, Lovegood.” Rosalina was left alone with an open-mouthed, blatantly staring Daryl. She smirked. “Do shut your mouth, love, you’ll catch flies.”

He did as told, raising his eyebrows. “What happened to being lonely as fuck and this place being like a prison?”

“I found my saviour,” Rosalina grinned in reply, gesturing with her hand for him to come in. “Stop standing in the door way if you’re coming in. How’d the search go, any trace of her?”

“Not yet,” He informed her, crossing the room to sit on the end of the bed, Rosalina sitting up and crossing her legs, noticing how he still kept one arm behind his back, like he was hiding something. “We’ll find her though. We gotta.”

“I know,” She assured him gently, seeing the same hopeful certainty in his eyes that she’d witnessed in Carol’s and Rick’s days before. “If anyone can find her, it’s you.”

“Thanks.” She could see his awkwardness at the compliment, and hurried to move the conversation on so that the tension wouldn’t linger. 

“So, can I ask what you’re hiding behind your back, or...?” She trailed off, eyes wide and hopeful, biting her lip with a smile.

Daryl nodded, his arm jerking as though he’d forgotten it was there. “Right, yeah, sorry.”

He produced a beer bottle with a pretty white flower sticking out the top, surprising Rosalina. “It’s a Cherokee Rose. It has this whole story behind it and I saw a handful growing and thought you might, uh, you know, want one.”

“It’s beautiful,” She breathed, gently taking the bottle and admiring the delicate flower that poked out the top. “What’s the story behind it?”

“It’s not that interesting,” Daryl dismissed, shrugging it off. He kept his head down, eyeing the floor rather than meeting Rosalina’s curious gaze. “It’d probably bore you.”

“Oh come on,” She complained, nudging his arm. “You’ve gotta tell me now, otherwise it’ll drive me crazy!”

He rolled his eyes at her dramatics, snorting with laughter before starting to talk again. “Basically, when the American soldiers were moving the Indians off their land on the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee mothers were grieving and crying so much because they were losing their little ones along the way. So the elders, they uh, they said a prayer. Asked for some kinda sign to uplift the mother’s spirit, give ‘em something to live for. Hope. And then the next day all these roses start growing right where the mothers’ tears fell. They took it as a sign of hope.”

Daryl’s soft spoken words had a surprising effect on Rosalina, finding tears springing to her eyes. “You were thinking of Carol and Sophia when you found this, weren’t you?”

“Yeah,” He admitted, licking his lips, not used to expressing emotion out loud in the form of anything other than anger. “I gave Carol the only other one I could find, just to, you know, give her some sort of hope.”

“That’s probably the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard,” Honesty rang true in Rosalina’s words, surprising Daryl. He looked up at her, quiet vulnerability in his expression. Without a word, she leant forward, pressing a quick kiss to his dirt covered cheek before she lost her nerve. “Thank you. For the flower.”

“Don’t mention it.” He shrugged her words off, but Rosalina didn’t mind, sitting back into her normal position. Taking the flower carefully between her fingers, she sat it behind her ear, laughing when it immediately dropped down and fell into her lap. Glancing up, Daryl chuckled, taking the flower and setting it behind her ear so that it stayed in place. She smiled at him, resisting the urge to lean her cheek against his fingers as they slid past her and sat back down at his side.

“So,” She started, glancing down to give her a moment to collect herself. “Catch me up on what’s happening outside. Something interesting must be going on out there!”

“Not much,” Daryl coughed, clearly his throat nervously, trying to set himself at ease after his previous actions. “Everyone’s just doing their jobs, helping out where they can. Hershel's set a ‘no guns’ rule so everyone’s kind of on edge about that, not that I blame them.”

“Hey, his property, his rules,” Rosalina argued with a shrug. “I’ve already turned my nose up at their hospitality once today by running outside like the Joker escaping Arkham, so I’m trying to toe the line from now on.”

Daryl smirked. “You really are a geek aren’t you? You’re always making comic references like a kid.”

With an outraged shove, Rosalina stuck her middle finger up at him. “Bitch, I am not a geek! I just like comic books and stuff. They’re more interesting to read than most books and I actually care what happens to the characters.”

“Geek,” Daryl muttered in response, allowing Rosalina to shove him again, only laughing. “You got any idea how long you’re gonna be up here before they let you out to the group again?”

Rosalina shook her head. “Beth said she reckoned it would be a few more days at least, until they could be certain I wasn’t going to do more damage to the wound. Apparently the skin is extremely sensitive right now, and if it rips any further I could lose too much blood and need a transfusion, which we want to avoid. I’m being careful though. Ish.”

“Don’t put yourself out of action,” Daryl warned. “We’re already two men down with Shane’s bad ankle and Rick being out of it cause of donating so much damn blood, last thing we need is you bleeding out trying to reach the kitchen.”

Sighing, Rosalina trailed her fingers over her thigh, head down. “I’ll be careful, promise. Just don’t abandon me for twenty-four hours please. It’s nice having someone to talk to.”

“What about blondie? You seemed to be getting on well with her.” Daryl pointed out, eyes everywhere except Rosalina. This gave her chance to look up, watching his face carefully, from the line of mud that ran along his cheekbone to the light scruff that had grown along his jawline. Silently, she nodded in approval, liking the more unkept look. It suited him. 

“Beth is very sweet, and she’s got a good sense of humour, but I miss the group. It feels like I’ve been gone weeks, not days.” She admitted, resisting the urge to jump when he turned to meet her gaze. She held strong, not looking away.

“I think everyone feels the same way,” He told her, pleased to draw a small smile from the girl. “Rick was talkin’ about how much Carl wanted to see you, and Carol and Glenn were going out of their minds with worry when Maggie found us and said you’d been shot. Everybody was worried about you.”

“Even you?” Rosalina taunted.

Daryl rolled his minds. “Nah, I knew you’d be alright. You weren’t gonna let some bullet stop you from driving me crazy.”

“Damn right.” She joked, mock-serious. They sat in a comfortable silence, broken only by Rosalina letting out a tired yawn.

“You haven’t done anything all day and you’re tired?” Daryl questioned in disbelief, a teasing edge in his tone. Rosalina pretended to glower at him.

“I got shot, give me a break!” She defended, lying back against her pillows. “Besides, I’m not that tired. I could stay awake for hours if I wanted to.”

“Yeah, right,” Daryl scoffed. He stood up, sensing that Rosalina wouldn’t be able to fight off her exhaustion for long based on how her eyes were already starting to flutter closed. “Get some sleep. I’ll come back and see you when you wake up.”

“Promise?” She asked sleepily, looking even younger than usual, turning on her side to face him. Daryl fought off a smile, reaching down to untuck the flower from behind her ear and place it in the beer bottle on the dressing table.

“Promise. Night, Rose.”

“G’night Daryl.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the next morning, Rosalina felt almost completely normal. She had removed her own bandages, tired of the itching feeling it was causing her, and there was a large purple bruise blossoming around the stitches, but it wasn’t causing her much more than mild discomfort anymore.

Her legs had eased up, meaning she was able to stand up long enough to shower and wash away the gross dirt and blood that seemed to be clinging to her skin. She had been tempted to pop her head downstairs and ask for her bag, which she’d stocked up with hair dye, but she decided it would just be better to deal with the hints of brown that were starting to show at her roots. 

“Morning, Rosalina.” Beth flitted through the room, carrying a tray with a bowl of cereal and glass of water on it. It was a simplistic breakfast, one Rosalina was immensely grateful for.

“Heya, Luna,” She took the offered tray, smiling at Beth. “Take a seat, I need to talk to someone or I’ll go insane. What’s going on around the farm?”

“Not a lot,” The younger girl shrugged, taking the offered seat and crossing one leg over the other. “Dad’s imposed a rule that nobody’s allowed to enter the house after ten PM unless it’s an emergency cause he didn’t like being woke up by your boyfriend last-”

“Boyfriend?” Rosalina spluttered, almost upsetting the tray on her lap in her shock. “If you’re talking about Daryl then he is absolutely not my boyfriend! Oh my gods, he’d have a heart attack if he knew you guys thought we were dating. Can you mention this to him at some point?”

Beth’s cheeks coloured in embarrassment. “Oh god, I’m sorry, I really thought you were dating. He’s the only person who’s really been up to see you so I kind of assumed....but I was wrong and I’m so sorry for making assumptions.”

“Don’t worry,” Rosalina waved her off, flashing a reassuring smile, eyes sparking in amusement. “Seriously though, if you’re ever chatting with Daryl, please feel free to mention the fact you thought we were dating. And take a picture of his face, I want to get it printed on a mug, or maybe even a T-shirt.”

“I don’t think I could ever really ‘chat’ with him,” Beth admitted bashfully, rubbing her arm. “He’s kind of intimidating.”

“That’s just because he acts all grumpy and miserable. Wanna know a secret?” She leaned forward, mock-serious. “He’s actually not that bad. Bit of a softie really. He knows all these old stories about pretty flowers and he secretly really cares about others. He’ll never tell them though.”

Beth stared at her suspiciously, lifting her chin. “Are you sure you guys aren’t dating? Cause you talk about him like you are.”

Rosalina shook her head. “Nope, I just think he’s pretty hot. Don’t tell anyone I said that though.”

Giggling, Beth nodded, reminded distinctly of the conversations she used to have at school with her old friends. “Promise.”

Holding up her pinky, Rosalina joined Beth in laughing as they linked their fingers together. “There, I trust you. Now, how about we talk about me getting to take a turn around the estate this fine morning? My legs are working perfectly well and I was just starting to get a nice tan, and I’d rather that didn’t go to waste.”

She seemed uncertain, giving the older woman a shrug. “I’ll ask my dad, but it should be okay. Maybe Maggie can take you round on the horses later this week if your stitches are still healing well.”

“Oh my gods, yes!” Rosalina enthused, grinning from ear to ear. “I love horses! I haven’t ridden since I was about eleven though so I’ll probably be terrible, but I don’t even care!”

Her enthusiasm drew another laugh from Beth, who could’ve sworn that she’d been giggling and chuckling more over the past two days spent with Rosalina than in the many months since the beginning of the end of the world.  “I’ll talk to her about it later. Come downstairs when you’ve finished your breakfast and we can talk to dad about getting you outside again, okay?”

“Sure thing, sweetheart,” Rosalina nodded, watching as Beth stood up from her seat and walked across to the door. “And remember, if you see Daryl, tell him about the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing.”

“But don’t tell him you think he’s hot, got it.” Beth mock-saluted her, laughing as she walked out of the room, only to stumble straight into Glenn. “Oh, sorry.”

The boy was already making his own apologies, awkwardly stepping around her. “Sorry, sorry! Is it okay if I see Rose? I was going to come yesterday but Maggie needed me and there was a walker in the-”

Beth caught him off, already having been told of his rambling ways by her sister. “You can go in, she’s just eating breakfast. I wouldn’t take too long though, I think she has plans to head over to the camp you guys have set up later.”

“Oh, okay, thanks.” He awkwardly raised his hand in a wave, tripping up over his own feet as he tried to take a step backwards into the room.

Hearing a slamming on the outside of her door, Rosalina jumped, twisting her head around to call, “Hello? Beth, is that you?”

But instead, Glenn popped his head around the door, sporting a cheerful smile and two flushed cheeks. “Hi.”

“Heya, sweetie!” Rosalina cheered, perking up at the sight of her friend. “Get your arse in here and talk to me, you’ve abandoned me since dearest Maggie turned your head. I’m starting to think there was never anything here at all.”

A week ago, Rosalina’s sarcasm would’ve had Glenn flustered and rushing to explain, but now he only rolled his eyes, instead taking the chair and sitting with his elbows leaning against his knees. “Alright, I need to talk to someone about this, and you’re the only one even close to my age so here goes; I had sex with Maggie.”

“Holy shit!” Rosalina exclaimed, starting forward. Without a word, she pushed the tray onto the floor with a clatter, crossing her legs and leaning closer to Glenn. “You slept with Hershel’s daughter? Are you kidding me? He’d kill you if he found out! And then chuck us off the farm! You’re either seriously brave or thick as pig shit.”

Glenn paused, staring at her with a furrowed brow. “You’re so British, damn. And she’s the one who initiated it! We were at the pharmacy and we, you know, did it, and she wouldn’t say a word to me all the way back! We haven’t spoken since and I’m not sure what I’m meant to do now.”

“Well, your best bet is to figure out what you want now. Do you want things to just go back to before you had sex, or do you want a relationship between you two? Cause it doesn’t sound like she’s interested in just having more casual sex.” Rosalina summarised for him, using her calm and assuring psychologist’s voice.

“I don’t know what I want though!” Glenn exploded un a flurry, his arms up in the air. Rosalina had to duck to avoid getting hit. “She’s Hershel’s daughter like you said, but she’s also really, really hot.”

“Dude, trust me, I’ve seen her. She’s hot,” Rosalina agreed, nodding appreciatively. “But you really need to figure out where you’re going with this, otherwise it’s gonna lead to some really awkward tension that I’m sure neither of you want. And plus, have you considered asking her what this all means? She’s bound to have her own opinions, maybe you should ask to hear them. Even if she snaps your head off the first time you ask.”

“She’s already done that once,” He admitted, wincing, seemingly reliving the memory. “And I’ll try. She’ll probably be in the stables later anyway. I also have something else I need to talk to you about. And it’s a lot more serious.”

“More serious than you getting it on with a hot girl? Damn, is someone dead?” She laughed, but seeing his grim expression made her gasp. “Oh god is someone really dead?”

“No,” He tried to sound reassuring, but his own worry was thinly concealed. “When we went into town yesterday, Lori asked for me to pick something up for her. I didn’t know what it was until I found it. Rose, Lori might be pregnant.”

Rosalina’s eyebrows raised, inhaling sharply. “Oh shit, that is more serious. Does anyone else know?”

“I don’t think so,” He shook his head. “She wanted it all to be discreet. But if she is, then she’s going to have to tell someone at some point.”

“No kidding, there’s no way she could safely have an abortion these days, not without putting herself in harm’s way,” Running a hand through her hair, Rosalina shook her head. “Poor Lori.”

Glenn pressed, “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Do I tell Rick or-”

“You can’t tell Rick!” She exclaimed, eyes wide. “Lori asked you to keep this quiet, you have to respect that. For all we know, she’s not actually pregnant. And, if she is, then that’s something they’ll have to deal with as a couple on their own terms, without any of us butting in to voice our own opinions. Just keep quiet, and avoid them both when you can so you don’t let anything slip.”

“But-” Rosalina was quick to hush him, holding a hand up.

“What if it was you? You’d just found out some life changing, maybe even life threatening news, and before you even have chance to deal with it somebody you thought could be trusted is blabbering it to the one person you want to talk about it least with,” Rosalina challenged, raising one eyebrow pointedly. She could see Glenn was still uncertain, so finished with. “Just give her two weeks, a week at absolute minimum. Let her handle it herself, then approach her. Don’t stress her out anymore than she already is.”

“Fine,” He sighed. “Thanks for letting me rant.”

“Hey, what’re friends for?” She smiled, swinging her legs up off the bed and standing up. “And as my friend, I suggest you help me get downstairs. I think it’s time I met up with our group again.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Oh by the gods I’ve missed walking around outside without having a target hanging over my head, waiting to be caught and whisked back to my hospital room.” Rosalina breathed in deeply, welcoming the fresh scent of grass and less fresh stench of horse manure. 

Beside her, Glenn snorted, rolling his eyes. “You’ve been on bed rest for three days, not three months.”

“Oh honey, when you’re left alone the hours turn into days,” She informed him, squeezing his arm. They were walking close together, her arm wrapped around his for support should her legs falter, on the strict orders of Hershel not to strain herself. She had to admit, she’d taken a bit of a liking to the old doctor, even if his beliefs were a bit fanatical to her-she’d never been a religious woman. “Oh, there’s the group. I’ve missed them!”

As they approached, the group failed to notice them, all gathered around Shane’s jeep with a map laid out on the hood, clearly planning their movements for the day ahead in the search for Sophia. “Who knows, maybe you’ll see the Chupacabra.”

Hearing T-Dog’s words, Rosalina frowned, a small smile quirking up on her lips. Rick seemed to share her confusion, asking, “Chupacabra?”

Dale was quick to explain, a chuckling Daryl stood at his side. “You never heard this? First night at camp, Daryl tells us that the whole thing reminds him of a time when he went squirrel hunting and saw a Chupacabra.”

Jimmy, Hershel’s helping hand around the farm, chuckled at the story. Immediately, Daryl glowered at him, “What are you braying at, jackass?”

“What, so you believe in a blood sucking dog?” Jimmy shot back, clearly not afraid. Rosalina was impressed.

“Do you believe in dead people walking around?” 

Daryl’s defence was solid, and Rosalina couldn’t help but laugh, turning the attention of the group to her and Glenn. “Heya, folks.”

“Rose?” Rick stared at her in surprise, but a smile grew on his face, immediately making his way over to pull her into a quick hug. “What’re you doing out of bed?”

“Hershel cleared me for leave. Still waiting to get my documents to say I’m ready for action though,” She smiled up at the man as he released her, moving away to give the rest chance to hug her. 

“Glad to see you back on your feet, you gave us a real scare there.” Dale said, drawing a laugh from Rosalina.

“It’s what I’m good at.” She joked, accepting a quick, bone crushing hug from T-Dog. “Whoa, careful man, I’m only five foot three. A hug like that could burst my wind-pipe.”

“Sorry,” He apologised, stepping back with a chuckle. “Just glad to see you’re okay.”

“Well, I’m glad to see you were all so worried about me,” She grinned, looking between Dale and T-Dog to where Daryl was stood, a half-smile on his face. “And if you saw a Chupacabra, then that shadow I saw in Loch Ness really was the mighty Nessie.”

“You weren’t there, princess,” He smirked, raising one eyebrow as he swung his crossbow onto his back. “It was a Chupacabra.”

Their conversation was interrupted by Carol exiting the RV, immediately calling over to Rosalina. “Rose? Oh my god, are you okay?”

She jogged over, a basket of ironing still on her hip, dropping it to the floor and pulling the younger woman into a tight hug. “I’m fine, Carol, I promise. Just a little scare, nothing I can’t handle.”

“We were all so worried!” The grey-haired woman exclaimed, pulling back with her hands still on Rosalina’s arms. She lifted one up, pushing back a strand of hair that had fallen onto Rosalina’s face in a motherly fashion that Rosalina hadn’t experienced in years. “Maggie rode into the forest shouting about Carl and a green-haired girl being shot and we had no idea if you were going to wake up or not.”

“Well, I did,” Rosalina smiled reassuringly, her eyes sliding past Carol briefly to Daryl, who had turned his back on the group and was walking over to his motorbike. She refocused on the woman in front of her, denying the slight slip of her smile. “Now, I’m assuming I’m not going to be allowed to help out with the search today so if you have any other tasks you want to allocate to me then-”

Rick was quick to cut her off, holding his hands up with a, furrowed brow. “No way. Right now, you need to focus on keeping those stitches intact and learning to walk without needing a support. Carol and Lori are both saying here, you can spend the day with them. I trust they won’t over-exert you.”

She groaned, rolling her eyes. “Fine, but I still want to be helpful. Maybe I can learn to iron or something.”

“You’ve never learnt?” Carol questioned, surprised. “Well, there you go, I’ll teach you and you can help me out.”

“Great,” Rosalina smiled at her appreciatively, turning to Glenn who was still stood at her side. “You get back to the house, tell Beth I’m going to spend the day out here, and you can spend a bit of time with Maggie. You two need it. Go on now.”

“I’m not your slave.” Glenn reminded her, blushing under the chuckles from the rest of the group. 

“Sure you’re not, sweetie,” Rosalina smiled. “See you later.”

With that, she turned to Carol. “So, where do we start?”

While the rest of the able-bodied, armed members of the group started prepping themselves for their search, Carol set Rosalina up behind the rickety ironing board she had managed to salvage, a pair of socks set in front of her as a starting point.

Rosalina set to work with good intentions, but her mood started to sour as she watched everyone getting ready to leave, feeling a bit like a housewife watching the men go off to war(even if Andrea was one of the ‘men’). 

“Having fun there?” Daryl’s taunting words only worsened Rosalina’s mood, looking up at him with a dead-pan expression.

“Ha ha,” She muttered sarcastically, finishing with the socks and dropping them into the basket beside her, picking up a T-shirt next. “I wouldn’t mock me if I were you, I might just happen to scorch your clothes by accident.”

“I’ll keep my mouth shut then,” He smirked, pulling on the strap of his rucksack. “You not gonna wish me luck?”

“Depends, do you want me to?” Rosalina’s heart pumped hard in her chest, not used to such blatant flirting from Daryl. She was certain her cheeks were a solid, rosy red, forcing herself to keep her eyes on the shirt in front of her. 

“I don’t know, I could use a little luck,” He leaned heavily on his right leg, shoulders back, his gaze centred on Rosalina’s face. Without looking up, she knew he had the same cocky smirk on his face as always. “It’s a big forest out there. I’d feel safer going into it knowing I had the luck of the English on my side.”

“The phrase is the luck of the Irish,” Rosalina finally looked up to meet his stare, shaking her head at him with a smile. “But good luck, Dixon. Try to get back in one piece.”

“I promise.” It had become an inside joke for them now, without either even realising it.

“Good, I know you don’t break your promises,” She then lifted her hands, shooing him away. “Now get out of here and look for that little girl. You’ve got the luck of the English on your side.”

He snorted, starting to walk away. “I’ll bring you back a squirrel!”

“Can’t wait!’ Rosalina called back, laughing. She watched him make his way over to the stables, going to borrow a horse for his journey. She only refocused on her ironing when he disappeared from her line of sight. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You’re a natural,” Rosalina grinned at the praise, a complete pile of ironing at her side, Carol smiling down at her in a motherly manner. “You know, you completed that pretty quickly for your first load.”

“And it only took four hours.” She mocked herself, knowing that Carol or Lori could’ve completed what she’d done in half the time, maybe even less. “Still, I’m pretty proud. Although I did scorch one of Daryl’s shirts.”

“He only has two anyway, I doubt he’ll mind,” Carol reassured her, making the pair both laugh. “What’s going on with you two, anyway? He was more worried than all of us when he found out you’d been shot. Nearly ripped a walker apart with his bare hands on the walk back to the highway after Maggie found us.”

Rosalina felt her stomach do a flip, but masked her happiness. “Nothing, just a bit of harmless flirting, something to keep us both busy. You know how it is.”

“Not really,” Disagreed Carol, shaking her head with a sad smile. “I married Ed when I was nineteen, so I never experienced any of the dating or flirting game. I was with him for most of my life.”

“He didn’t deserve you,” The way Rosalina said it was offhand, as though she was stating the blindingly obvious, but to Carol it meant the world. “He didn’t deserve you or Sophia, not from what I’ve heard. And I'm not sorry to say I’m glad you’re rid of him.”

Silence descended, and for a moment Rosalina worried if she’d gotten too far and stepped over the line, but then Carol said quietly, “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

“I just speak the truth.” She smiled kindly at her, before standing up, stretching her arms up above her head. “Christ, ironing really kills your back doesn’t it. I have a new found respect for mothers everywhere.”

Carol laughed, grateful for the change in topic. “It’s a challenge, I agree with that. The group’s been gone for a while, haven’t they?”

“Everyone’s back except Daryl I think,” Rosalina twisted her head around, scouring over the group that was gathered. Shane and Andrea were both sat on logs in the shade of the trees, Rick sat with Lori between his legs on the floor, hands intertwined. “Do you think he’s okay?”

“Of course he is,” Carol assured her, rejecting the notion of Daryl being in trouble almost immediately. “It’s Daryl, he’s probably just hunting some squirrel on his way back.”

“Well, he did promise to bring one back for me,” Rosalina blushed under the woman’s knowing glance. “Oh stop it, you’re like a teenage girl with an OTP.”

“OT what?”

Sighing, Rosalina shook her head. “That’s something to be explained on another day, I’ve done too much ironing to explain OTPs and shipping today. I’m gonna go talk to Rick, see if Daryl said how long he’d be out for.”

“You sure you guys are just flirting?” Carol pressed, raising one eyebrow. 

Rosalina groaned, glaring at her playfully as she stood up. “Can you please stop? I’m going red.”

Carol chuckled, waving her hand to show the girl she was done. Giving her a grateful glance, Rosalina made her way over to Rick and Lori, an ache resounding in the lower part of her back from being sat down for so long.

Upon reaching them, she found it hard to return Lori’s kind smile without any sympathy reflected in her own, her eyes briefly flying down to the woman’s entirely flat stomach before quickly returning to her face. “Hey guys. I don’t mean to bother you Rick, I know you must be pretty exhausted after today, but Daryl still isn’t back and I just wanted to ask if you knew how long he said he’d be out searching for.”

Rick shook his head, unable to help her. “It’s Daryl, he never gives specifics. We know what route he took though, he marked it out on the map, so if he isn’t back in the next hour we’ll send some people out to look for him, I promise.”

“Thanks.” Rosalina smiled, but she wasn’t reassured. Something was stirring in her gut, setting her on edge. She didn’t like the idea of Daryl being out on his own in the forest without anyone looking out for him, especially as early evening set in. It wouldn’t be long before the sun was setting, and then it would be even harder for him to find his own way back.

Lori seemed to sense the other woman’s conflict, and leaned forward, reaching up and grasping her hand, compassion in her eyes. “I’m sure he’ll be fine. We’ll give it a half hour, instead, okay? Just to be certain.”

This time, Rosalina’s gratitude was genuine. “Thank you. I don’t know, I’m probably just being over dramatic, I just have this feeling that something isn’t right.”

The couple both nodded in understanding, mirroring one another’s movements that Rosalina knew only the closest of people could do. Lori was the first to speak, still holding Rosalina’s hand as she stood up. “I know the sort of feeling you mean. Why don’t you take your mind of it? Carol and I spoke with Maggie earlier and she said we could cook a meal for Hershel and his family in their kitchen, why don’t you come join us?”

Rosalina was appreciative of the offer, but shook her head. “Thank you, but I’ll be okay. I never really learned how to cook, and I already taught myself one useful skill today, two might be pushing my boundaries. Maybe I’ll join Andrea on look out or something.”

Lori winced. “I wouldn’t if I were you. She’s gone a little gun crazy since Shane taught her how to use one, might take your head off if you take a step too close. Beth mentioned something about you wanting to ride earlier though, maybe you should do some laps around the field, help out with your physiotherapy a bit. I’m sure they won’t mind you borrowing a horse.”

The idea clearly appeased Rosalina. “Oh yes! I completely forgot about that. I’m gonna go find Maggie and see if she’ll lend me a horse!”

The married pair laughed as Rosalina rushed off in the direction of the stables, seemingly calmer in regards to the Daryl situation. 

Upon reaching the stables, she found a tired and weary Maggie brushing down a tall, strong chestnut horse. “Hey, Maggie.”

She turned around, giving Rosalina a smile. “Hi, Rose, wasn’t it? What can I do for you?”

“I was wondering if I could take one of your horses out for a ride?” Rosalina asked tentatively, biting her lip with a pleading hopefulness in her eyes. “Beth said you’d be okay with it.”

“Sure, you’re more than welcome to take Dusty out for a quick turn,” The tanned woman agreed immediately, gesturing to one of the smaller, dark haired horses in the third stall along. “He’s one of our tamer boys. He’ll take good care of you.”

“Thanks!” Rosalina grinned, approaching the horse in question happily. She stepped inside the stall, giggling when Dusty instantly dived forward, rubbing his head up against her shoulder. “Aren’t you just the sweetest little thing ever?”

“Oh no,” Maggie started, a joking tone in her voice as she walked over to help Rosalina saddle the horse up. “You’re not one of those who uses a baby voice on animals, are you?”

She looked down with a sigh, seemingly ashamed of herself. “Guilty as charged. They’re just so cute and sweet and innocent, unlike all the people I know in my life!”

This made Maggie snort, tightening the buckle on the saddle. “That I’d have to agree with. Do you know how to ride?”

In answer to her question, Rosalina expertly pulled herself up onto the horse, taking the reigns into her hands and smirking down at Maggie. “I took lessons from when I was six until I was eleven. It’s been a while, but I still remember the basics.”

“In that case, you’re good to go,” Maggie smiled, stepping back. “Have fun.”

“Thanks,” Rosalina clicked her tongue, gently nudging the horse’s side with her right foot. “Walk on, boy.”

She walked him out of the stable, getting herself used to being back on a horse again for a few minutes before she decided to try galloping again. With a slightly harder nudge to the side, she had Dusty galloping across the field over to the camp, laughing as she tried her hardest to keep a straight posture and not bounce up and down in the saddle.

Seeing her approaching, Rick grinned, lifting his hand up to wave. He was one of the few left milling around the camp, with Carol and Lori both working inside the house and Andrea on top of the RV, which had Dale, T-Dog and Shane all sat inside. “Having fun?”

Rosalina pulled Dusty to a steady stop a few feet away from the ex-sheriff, a childish joyfulness in her expression that made Rick laugh. “This is freaking awesome! He’s such a sweet boy. Aren’t you, honey?”

To accompany her words, she leaned forward, giving Dusty a small hug around the neck. “Never pegged you for the horsey type, Rose.”

“I grew out of it when I was eleven,” She shrugged, leaning back. “Got into swords instead. Biggest mistake I ever made. Well, one of them.”

Their cheerful discussion was interrupted when a panicked Andrea called out to them all, “Walker! Walker!”

Sharing a look of worry, Rick and Rosalina rode/walked over, Glenn appearing from behind a tree and the other three men on the camp exiting the RV. “Just the one?”

Andrea was staring through her binoculars, ignoring Rick’s question. She suddenly flung them to the side, picking up her gun. “I bet I can nail it from here.” 

“Whoa, slow down, put the damn gun down.” Rosalina ordered, knowing Hershel would lose his temper with them all if guns were being fired. But then from behind her, Shane, T-Dog and Glenn all started forward with weapons.

“Yeah, put the gun down Andrea. Best to let us handle this,” Shane told her cockily, Rosalina shooting him a piercing look, knowing the would only spur the prideful blonde on. 

“Shane,” Rick tried to stop him. “Hershel wants to handle walkers.”

“We got it covered.” He ignored him, the three all continuing forward. 

Rick cursed, running across to the RV and grabbing his gun, joining them in advancing forward, but not before turning to Andrea and warning, “Do not shoot that gun.”

Rosalina was quick to follow him, keeping Dusty at a walking pace, but still overtaking the four men. They were only about thirty feet away when Rosalina made out what was not a walker at all, but instead a bloodied and beaten Daryl. “Oh my god. It’s Daryl!”

The moment the words left her lips, a gun shot fired, and Rosalina screamed in complete and total terror when Daryl dropped to the floor. Immediately, she pushed Dusty into canter, her hands as shaky as her breathing as she charged forward, the other four men following behind her but far slower than the woman on horseback.

Reaching the man, she almost threw herself from the horse, kneeling down next to him in compete panic. “Daryl? Daryl, are you okay? Oh my god.”

He was awake and breathing, the bullet having just grazed alongside his temple but having left a deep enough cut for Rosalina to be worried. “What happened?”

“Andrea fucking shot you,” Rosalina snarled, and Daryl didn’t think he’d ever seen her so livid, anger positively glowing in her eyes. “Come on.”

She wrapped one of his arms around her neck, her own going around his waist and pulling him up off the ground, ignoring the chain of ears he had hanging around his neck and his bloodied and damaged appearance. 

Starting to walk, Rosalina was quickly joined by Rick, Shane, T-Dog and Glenn. Rick was quick to help her heave Daryl along by taking his other side, just as Daryl dropped unconscious. “She just grazed him. What the fuck was she thinking firing after we all told her not to?”

“I don’t know.” Rick heaved, angry, but not able to match the pure fury in Rosalina’s voice.

All men stared at her warily when Andrea came running over with Dale, panicked and breathing heavily. “Is he dead?”

The blonde let out a scream when Rosalina lunged for her, T-Dog quickly grabbing ahold of her and pulling her back, Shane taking her place in holding up Daryl. “What the hell were you thinking? We told you not to fucking fire!”

“I thought he was a walker!” Andrea weakly defended, pretending that she wasn’t completely terrified by the fuming green-haired woman, who continued to glower at her over T-Dog’s shoulder with flashing, dangerous eyes. 

“That doesn’t matter right now.” Rick hissed, ripping Daryl’s necklace of ears from around his neck when he saw Hershel approaching with the rest of the group. 

Behind them, still carrying a thrashing and kicking Rosalina, T-Dog bent down and picked up a doll off the floor, seeing it had fallen out of Daryl’s back pocket. “Guys, isn’t this Sophia’s?”

His words made Rosalina pause her attack for a moment, going completely still. Gently pushing off T-Dog, she took the doll in her hands, recognising the homemade raggedy doll as Sophia’s own. “He’s right, it is.”

But they couldn’t pause, as Shane suddenly called out, “He’s injured his side too! It’s bleeding pretty bad!”

“Fuck,” Rosalina cursed, her panic returning in a crushing wave. “Dusty!”

She clicked her tongue, and the horse who had remained stationary where she’d left him came running across the field. She reached up, grabbing his reigns as he slowed down next to them, pulling herself up onto the saddle and leaning as far forward as she could. “Come on, get him on the back of here, I can get him to the house quicker.”

The men did as they were ordered, lifting the barely conscious Daryl up onto the back of the horse. Rosalina wrapped his arms around her waist, keeping one hand on the reigns and the other holding onto him, keeping him in place as his grip wasn’t especially strong. She was reminded for a moment of when she’d ridden with him on his motorcycle, but the image quickly vanished when he groaned against her back. “Come on, boy, lets go.”

She rode them as quickly as she dared over to the house, finding Patricia and Jimmy already stood there waiting. Hershel was hurriedly making his way back across the field, and by the time he reached the house the three of them had already set Daryl up in Rosalina’s bed, Rosalina making quick work of pulling his shirt up and over his head to get a look at the wound. 

“Always eager to get my shirt off.” The injured man mumbled to her, his voice weak but his smirk as cocky as always. She shot him a glare, resisting the urge to punch him.

“Shut up, dumbass,” She muttered back, stepping out of the way for Hershel to start his work. “I see you found Sophia’s doll.”

“Yeah, washed up on a creek bed. Get me a map and I can show you exactly where,” He told her, leaning on his side so that Hershel could begin to clean the dirt out of his deep cut. Rosalina crossed around to the other side of the bed, ignoring the presence of Rick and Shane when they entered the room. “Why do you look like you’re gonna cry or somethin’?” 

Rolling her indeed tearful eyes, Rosalina kneeled down next to the bed, watching Hershel work instead of meeting Daryl’s stare. “That usually happens when you think someone's dead.”

“You thought I was dead?” Daryl scoffed, hiding the fact he wanted to howl in pain when Hershel dug a little too deep into the wound. “Like I’d let a little stabbing or gun shot kill me. Too stubborn.”

“Is that what that cut is?” She asked, nodding to the wound in his side. “You stabbed yourself? What with?”

“Arrow,” He admitted, lifting one hand to his head and feeling blood still dripping down his face from where Andrea’s bullet had grazed him. Seeing this, Rosalina stood up, leaning over the bed to grab a cloth from Hershel’s makeshift first aid kit, scrunching it up and holding it against his head wound. Daryl stared at her as he continued to explain. “Horse got spooked, threw me off and sent me tumbling down a cliff. Arrow went through my side and I had to pull it out to fight off some walkers.”

“You pulled an arrow out of yourself?” Rosalina winced, scrunching her face up in a mixture of disgust and admiration. “Maybe you’re braver than I give you credit for.”

“Says the girl who cried when she thought I was dead.” Daryl taunted, wincing when Hershel’s started to silently stitch up his wound. 

Rosalina glared at him softly, but otherwise didn’t reply, letting Rick speak for the first time. “We found Sophia’s doll in your pocket. Can you tell us where you found it?”

“Like I said to Rose, get me a map and I can tell you exactly which creek bed I found it washed up on,” He informed the other man. “Your welcome.”

“Thank you,” Rick said to him seriously, meeting his eyes to express his genuine gratitude. He then turned to Hershel. “How’s he looking?”

“I didn’t think I’d be going through antibiotics this quickly,” Was the doctor's response, and Rosalina bit her lip guiltily. “Any idea what happened to my horse?”

“Yeah, the one that almost got me killed?” Daryl spat. “If it’s smart, it left the country.”

Hershel ignored his anger. “We call that one Nelly, as in Nervous Nelly. I could’ve told you she’d throw you, if you’d bothered to ask.”

Rosalina’s eyes widened, head snapping to face Daryl as Hershel finished the final stitch. “You didn't ask about the horse you were taking on a journey through a forest, full of animals that could spook an easily anxious horse? You idiot!”

“Hey, I just got shot, give me a break!” He mimicked her own words from before, and Shane moved forward when he saw the force of Rosalina’s glare. But Daryl only shrugged, knowing she wouldn’t hurt him. “If you guys don’t mind, I’d rather not have an audience right now. I did just get shot by a girl.”

“Why is that so insulting?” Rosalina questioned dangerously, seeing the rest of the men starting to leave the room. When the door closed, her shoulders dropped, the tension leaving her body. “You know, if you’re going to do stupid shit like get yourself stabbed and shot, can you give me a little warning? You’ve really stressed me out today.”

“Least now you know how it feels,” He hissed when she pressed the cloth against his wound a little harder. “You'd make a terrible nurse.”

“Shut up,” She warned, moving around again to sit on the bed next to his injured side, brushing his dark hair out of the way of the cut. “This is why you don’t go at it solo.”

“Well, I thought I had the luck of the English on my side,” He shot back, allowing himself to collapse against the pillows, exhausted. “Turns out you guys have shitty luck.”

“I could’ve told you that myself,” Finally, a smile graced her face. “Try and sleep. Carol and Lori are cooking tonight and they can bring some in for us.”

His eyes steadily closing, Daryl asked groggily, “Us?”

“Well duh. I hated waking up alone after I got shot, I’m not gonna make you go through the same. I’ll still be here when you wake up.” Rosalina promised, moving back to take a seat on one of the chairs instead. But Daryl’s hand shot out, wrapping around her wrist and keeping her in place.

“Stay.” He ordered, half-asleep.

Rosalina’s heart thumped against her rib cage, biting down hard on her lip. “I’ll get a bad back if I sit up like this for a few hours while you kip out. I’ll just be sat in that chair next to you, I won’t leave the room.”

“No,” Daryl insisted, pulling on her arm. Uncertainly, Rosalina allowed him to pull her over to the other side of the bed again, down onto the mattress, both of them facing the wall with Rosalina wrapped under Daryl’s arm, the back of her head against his chest. “There.”

“You’re one crazy redneck, Dixon,” Rosalina murmured, wriggling to get comfortable against his hard chest. “Try and sleep, alright?”

Her response was the sound of his soft snores, making her chuckle before she snuggled down further against him, allowing her own eyes to flutter closed. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	10. Doctor Rosalina Jones, back in business

Groaning, Rosalina burrowed out of the way of the early morning light that was creeping through the window and glaring directly down on her face. She didn’t realise for a moment that what she was hiding against was solid, and not the cosy comfort of her mattress or pillows. Her muscles tensed, hearing the steady thrumming of a heartbeat, and the slow breathing that brushed against the top of her head.

“Daryl?” She murmured, tiredly pulling back and looking up at the man’s face. He was still fast asleep, eyes closed and his expression peaceful, without the usual anger or smugness he wore during the day. 

Rosalina breathed a sigh of relief, gently removing his arm from around her waist and sliding out of the bed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She hurriedly ran her fingers through her hair, removing all traces of bed head, knowing the rumours would fly if she reemerged from the room looking like she’d shared a bed with Daryl-which she had!

A grin threatened to break out on her face, but she fought it back, straining to remain standing and not scream out girlishly like she once had over her favourite TV shows as a teenager. Instead, she straightened her top, starting to decide on a plan.

When Daryl woke up, he lazily sat up in the bed, peering round to see Rosalina sat at his side on a chair, a book in her hands. Seeing him awake, she gave him a smile, raising her eyebrows. “Morning, sleepyhead.”

“Morning,” He greeted, and if he saw the way Rosalina started at the sound of his deep morning voice, he didn’t comment. “Have you been sat there all night...”

He trailed off, furrowing his brow like he was concentrating hard on remembering something. Rosalina watched with bated breath, but then he shook his head and her stomach dropped. “Nevermind. What time is it? I’m fucking starving.”

“Patricia usually brings the breakfast rounds at nine, so you won’t have to wait long,” She informed him, turning around to rest her book on the dressing table, using the chance to compose her face into a teasing smirk for when she turned back around. “You know, you talk in your sleep? Like, a lot? It’s quite funny.”

“Fuck off,” He muttered, biting back a smile at Rosalina’s laugh. “Aren’t you supposed to be nice to me or somethin’? I got shot.” 

Rosalina scoffed, raising her eyebrows in outrage. “Excuse you! I got shot too, and you were just a rude to me as you always are, idiot. So, my apologies if I’m not falling at your feet ready to agree to your every command.”

“A guy can dream.” He murmured, moving out of the way when Rosalina went to shove him.

“Look, I’m gonna pop next door and check on Carl. I haven’t seen him since the accident and I miss the kid,” Rosalina said, withdrawing from her attack and standing up. “You gonna be alright on your own in here?”

In reply, Daryl turned over onto his other side, making a show of closing his eyes. Snorting, Rosalina nodded. “Alright, enjoy your sleep. You’ll be back out working with the rest of us soon enough.”

With that she left the room, closing the door behind her and leaning against it for a moment. So, he didn’t remember. Or if he did, he didn’t want to remember. She was certain she knew which of the two options was worse, but both made her chest ache.

It was with heavy eyes that she made her way downstairs and into Carl’s room, finding the door open and the little boy sat on his bed buttoning up his shirt. “Heya, honey.”

His head whipped around, grinning at the woman. “Rose!”

She laughed when he ran across, diving into her arms. “Sorry I took so long to visit, I was getting patched up myself and then we’ve had a few crazy days since.”

“You’re okay?” He asked, concern shining in his dark brown eyes. For a moment, Rosalina’s felt her stomach turn, not recognising the mature boy stood in front of her-he looked like he carried the responsibility of the group in those eyes. “Dad said you were, and mum said you were too, but they wouldn’t let me get up to go and see you.”

“Rightly so, I’m afraid. Better you were focused on getting yourself well again before you’re traipsing round the house looking for little old me,” Rosalina warned, chuckling when he ducked his head away from her affectionate hand running through his hair. “Although it looks like you’re doing alright now. Have you been dismissed to join the group outside at last?”

“Hershel told my mum last night!” He told her happily. “We’re going to feed the chickens after breakfast.”

“Aw, awesome, I didn’t even realise they had chickens here!” She kept her voice light, permanently with a smile on her face as she spoke. “Why don’t you get to the kitchen, see if Patricia has the food ready or not? That way you can get outside a bit quicker.”

“Okay!” He grinned, stepping around her and starting to work across to the kitchen, turning back to ask, “Are you coming with me?”

“You’ll be alright on your own. We’ve got another invalid I need to check on, I’m afraid.” He nodded, satisfied with her excuse and disappearing into the other room.

Rosalina sighed, turning to head back up the stairs only to find herself looking at Daryl staggering down them, the bandage that had been wrapped around his head gone and a hand pressed against the place where his stitches had been. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Going back to my tent,” He hissed, shrugging her off when she ran up to try and herd him back up the stairs. “You were right, that room is fucking depressing.”

“Oi, watch your language, Carl is walking around,” She warned, knowing how hypocritical it was for her to warn anyone about their language. “And you gave me hell for walking outside after I had my stitches redone, why is it any different for you?”

He didn’t stop walking, so she simply followed. “I can look after myself, you can’t. There’s your difference.”

Etching an exaggerated fake smile on her face, Rosalina made an ‘oh’ noise of understanding. “Of course! Big, tough Daryl can look after himself, but poor, tiny little Rose can’t be trusted to move more the fifteen feet from her bed.”

Over his shoulder, he threw her a smirk as they reached the porch. “Exactly.”

“You’re insufferable, you know that right?” She told him, speeding up to keep in time with his surprisingly quick pace for a man who had been both stabbed and shot the day before. 

“Says you.” Was his less than witty surprise, and this time he wasn’t quick enough to avoid Rosalina’s light shove into his arm. 

They walked in comfortable silence across to the camp, the only people to see them approaching being Dale and Glenn, both of whom gave them nods of acknowledgement. But Rosalina stared long and hard at Glenn as he obviously avoided her eyes, furtively rushing into the woods away from her. She’d have to talk to him later, because he was more than clearly hiding something.

“Ha,” She laughed as they reached Daryl’s tent, the man dropping himself down onto the camp bed immediately with a tired sigh. “You actually set my tent up to yours. That’s adorable.”

“Do you ever shut up?” He asked, burying his head into the pillow.

She stood for a moment, a hand on her chin and eyes cast up to the sky as though pondering. “No, not really.”

Pushing her way into the tent, she sat herself cross legged on the floor, seeing her rucksack sat in the corner. “Why the hell do you have my rucksack?”

“Forgot to drop it in yours.” He told her in response, his voice muffled by the pillow. 

Grabbing it, Rosalina shot him a glare despite knowing he couldn’t see her. “You better not have messed with my stuff.”

While she raided her rucksack, pleased to find everything still in order, Andrea approached the entrance of the tent, carrying a book in her hand. “Hey.”

Rosalina’s muscles tensed, slowly lifting her head to fix a harsh stare on the woman, who was doing her best to focus solely on Daryl.

Turning around, Daryl lazily rose his brow at her. Encouraged, she stepped further inside, handing him the book. “I know it’s not great.”

He accepted what Rosalina assumed to be her olive branch, flicking through the pages. “What, no pictures?”

His joke eased her mood for a second, and she pretended to gag, drawing a smile from the man. “I think I just threw up a little bit. The bookworm within me is literally screaming.”

Andrea took the moment of eased tension to begin her apology, looking directly at Daryl as she said, “I’m so sorry. I feel like shit.”

“Yeah, you and me both.” Daryl replied, making Rosalina snort, glad he wasn’t accepting her apology with grace. She did shoot him. 

“I don’t expect you to forgive me,” Andrea continued, her gaze slowly floating down to the where Rosalina was still sat glowering, reverting immediately back to Daryl. “But if there’s anything I can do-”

“You were trying to protect the group,” Rosalina turned to stare at Daryl, mouth dropping open, outraged. “We’re good.”

“Mate, she shot you!” Rosalina exploded, unable to hold in her own opinions. She surprised herself, knowing that she was usually good at keeping her temper in check when necessary. 

“It was an accident,” Daryl argued, keeping his voice quiet and levelling Rosalina’s glare with a calm gaze. “She was just looking out for the group. If I can respect that, so can you.”

She huffed, rolling her eyes. Looking back up, she found Andrea still stood there with bated breath, her eyes wide and pleading. “I guess you make a good point. But next time someone tells you not to fire, don’t fire!”

“I won’t, I promise!” Andrea rushed to assure her. “Thank you guys.”

She turned to leave, ducking under the entrance to exit when Daryl called out to stop her. “But, hey, shoot me again you best pray I’m dead.”

Andrea smirked, set at ease now that she had both of their forgiveness. She nodded to Rosalina. “No offence, Daryl, but I’ll be more scared of her reaction than yours.”

She missed the deadly glower Rosalina shot at her back as she disappeared, feeling the smugness of Daryl’s grin as he turned to look at her. “Don’t say a word. Not a goddamn word.”

“How did you react yesterday?” He teased, knowing she wouldn’t look at him until he dropped the subject. “Was you actually scared for me?”

“No, I just don’t like people who disobey orders,” Rosalina denied, but her blush gave her away. “Just shut up.”

Daryl’s jeering smile was only making her embarrassment worse, so she rose, grabbing her bag. “I’ll be next door if you need me. I’ve kinda missed my tent.”

“See ya.” He didn’t lose the grin as she left, and Rosalina had to wait until she was inside her own tent before grabbing the pillow someone had set up on her bed and screaming into it in annoyance. One of these days, she was going to get Andrea back for embarrassing her like that.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Are you freaking kidding me?” 

Rosalina sat with massaging her temples with her fingers, eyes closed. A nervous, fidgeting Glenn sat  on the floor of her tent in front of her, his legs crossed and his fingers drumming on the ground. “I’m not making this up.”

“Alright, let me get this straight,” Her eyes opened, cocking one brow as she stared down at him questioningly from where she sat on her bed. “So, this week, Carl has been shot. Since he’s been back on his feet, he stole a gun from Dale, and is now demanding shooting lessons from Shane, which by the way Rick has asked me to help out with. What Rick doesn’t know, is that I know his wife is pregnant, because she asked for you to pick up a pregnancy test for her while you were in town. And, on that particular run into town, you slept with Hershel’s daughter. And then, when you decided taking another swing at that would be fun and arranged to meet in the barn, you discovered our host family is hoarding walkers in the masses. Is that the summary of everything you’ve told me?”

“Just about.” Glenn nodded meekly. Rosalina let out a steady release of breath, clasping her hands together as though she was praying.

“I swear to the gods, this is like being in a twisted episode of Coronation Street,” She stretched her arms up over her head, feeling an ache in her lower back, much like the ache forming in her head. “What do you expect me to do with this information, Glenn? I can’t tell Rick about Lori, because then both of us will be betraying her trust. And I sure as hell am not going near the whole ‘walkers in the barn’ thing. You need to talk to someone who can handle stuff like this, not me.”

“But you were a psychologist!” Glenn exploded, his pale face showing how all the secrets he knew were taking a toll on him. “You’re been trained to deal with this shit-”

“No, I really haven’t!” Rosalina argued, shaking her head. “I’m a forensic psychologist, Glenn, most of my work involves finding out where the bodies are buried and turning that information over to the police. Having a shit load of information dumped on me that tests my moral beliefs and my obligations to others? That actually isn’t in my job description. If a criminal tells me he buried his daughter under the patio, or a woman says she raped her sister’s nephew, then I tell the cops! Pregnancies and walkers isn’t what I’m good at coping with.”

Her lengthy speech ended with her panting heavily, running a hand through her hair while Glenn stared up at her in shock. She bit her lip, cursing her guilt. “Look, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have unloaded like that, but you’ve kinda roped me into something I really don’t want to be involved in. You want my honest advice? Tell Dale. He’ll be able to calmly talk to Rick, without voicing his own opinion to strongly. If either you or I tell him, you know he’s going to ask our opinions, and we can’t be objective about this.”

Glenn nodded, releasing a breath of relief. “Dale. That’s smart, he’ll know what to do. Please don’t tell anyone about this. I know you like talking to Daryl, but he’s the last person who can-”

“I won’t tell Daryl,” Rosalina stopped him quickly, but then her voice took on a warning tone. “And the last person we want to find out about this isn’t Daryl, it’s Shane. He has a habit of ignoring Rick, and if he makes a decision he’ll follow through with it and drag other people in. Daryl can be talked down, Shane can’t. If you want this to be handled right, I’d avoid him until Dale talks to Rick.”

“Good point,” Glenn sighed, standing up. “Thanks for letting me use you as my personal therapist. You’re just easier to talk to, you know?”

“I’m starting to get the idea,” She managed a smirk. “Go tell Dale. And tell Rick I’m taking a day out because my side is hurting. I’d rather not face him and Lori unless I have to, especially not if they’re teaching Carl to shoot.”

“Sure thing.” He disappeared, dropping the flap of the tent down and leaving Rosalina alone. 

She groaned, lying back in her bed and letting her head drop down against the pillows. This group was getting far too dramatic for her liking. 

She was gifted with almost a full hour of quiet peacefulness before another head poked it’s way around her tent door. “Rose? It’s Lori. Can I talk to you?”

Rosalina had to hold back a groan, knowing her therapy skills were about to come into play again, but because it was Lori she sat up and gave her a smile. “Come in. What’s wrong?”

Lori hesitated for a moment, seemingly about to back out. As she opened her mouth to make her excuses, Rosalina’s silenced her with a shake of her head. “If you want to talk, I’m here to talk. If you want me to chase you around waiting for you to tell me what’s wrong, then you’re going to be disappointed. I can tell you need to talk to someone, so I’d like to suggest you take a seat and tell me what’s going on.”

Biting down on her lip, Lori nodded, entering the tent and sitting down on the end of the bed. With a sudden rush of confidence, she exploded, “I’m pregnant!”

Doing her best to appear shocked, Rosalina’s eyebrows lifted up towards her hairline, eyes wide. “You are? For certain?”

“I’m late by almost a month and I made Glenn fetch me a test when he went for a run into town. It’s definite.” She confirmed, and the fear in her eyes made Rosalina’s heart leap with sympathy. She couldn’t imagine what was running through the older woman’s mind-she had to be terrified. “The thing is, I haven’t told Rick.”

“Why not?” Rosalina pressed gently, reaching out to take her hand. Lori clutched it, her breathing irregular and erratic. 

“”It....it might not be his,” This part was a genuine surprise to Rosalina, but she could already take a guess at who the other man could be. “I thought Rick was dead, you have to understand that, and I was so scared, I didn’t-”

“Lori, nobody is going to judge you for starting a relationship with Shane,” Rosalina assured her. “Least of all me. You thought Rick was dead, gone forever. I’m assuming you ended the relationship when Rick came back?”

“Immediately!” Lori spluttered, and Rosalina lifted her free hand to rub her shoulder, nodding along to show that she believed her. “I know it’s Rick’s. It has to be.”

“If you know that, then why else are you holding off on telling him?” The younger woman was careful not to try and push her too far, maintaining an open posture to try and encourage Lori to carry on talking. Like she’d told Glenn earlier, her job was in finding information out, and she was damn good at her job.

Lori’s eyes fluttered closed, gathering her strength to continue explaining herself. “Because he’ll automatically want me to keep it, I know he will. And I just don’t know if I can handle that! Bringing a baby into this world, it’s...it’s cruel! And dangerous, for both me and the baby! I’m just so scared, and telling Rick...I just think it would make it worse.” 

Slowly, Rosalina nodded, understanding Lori’s point of view. “And what would you do, if you did decide it would be too dangerous? Hershel may be a doctor, but I’m fairly certain he doesn’t know how to safely perform an abortion.” 

“Methotrexate,” She answered immediately. “Glenn said he’d be willing to make another run into town for me.”

Rosalina knew the pill well, many of her friends had bought it after a pregnancy scare after a risky one night stand during her university years. “But there are still risks involved with that plan too. Lori, the best thing I think you can do is talk to Rick. I know you’re scared of his reaction, but Rick will always put you first. He loves you and Carl more than anything, and he isn’t going to risk your life for anything. Please, at least consider talking to him before you send Glenn out for those pills.”

Lori shrugged helplessly, pulling back from Rosalina’s touch. “I know you’re right, but there’s still a big part of me that doesn’t want to see Rick’s reaction.”

“Just consider it.” Rosalina pressed. 

There was a few moments of tense silence, before Lori nodded, standing up. “I’ll think about talking to Rick before I ask Glenn to do anything. Thank you for letting me talk this out, Rose. I’ve been going insane on my own these past few days.”

“No worries, what are friends for?” She smiled. “I’ll keep your secret by the way. Promise.”

“Thank you.” With a grateful smile, she left, and Rosalina collapsed against the pillows.

“I should get paid for this. Dr Rosalina Jones is back in business, helping patients and getting an almighty headache. ”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours later, Rosalina left the confines of the tent to start setting up the logs for the fire that would burn through the night. Her head was whirring around, full of secrets and dramas in a way that she couldn’t organise her thoughts. So, instead, she pushed them to the back of her mind, beginning to sing. 

“Is it dark? Is it deep? Do you wonder through the day or do you sleep? Can you hear the kids from school, while they drink and dance and fuck on top of you?” At first, she was barely able to be heard, but soon she was singing up a storm, her voice husky and deep. 

“Is that Rose?” Carl asked Lori, the pair sat in their tent. The anxious mother listened, pleasantly surprised by the rich voice she could hear. 

“I think it is,” Slowly standing up, she moved to leave the tent, looking out to see Rosalina smiling to herself, proving she was indeed the one singing. “Wow.”

“I wanna rock your soul,” She straightened her back, popping out one hip and clicking her fingers, performing to an audience only she could see. “And clear the path, and let the truth be mine at last. Consider all of the tears you could’ve saved. I hope you do a lot of thinking in your grave.”

Rosalina’s voice had carried, and Carol opened the window of the RV, leaning out to listen with a confused smile on her face. She watched Rosalina sway her hips, clapping to the beat in her head, rocking her head back and forth. “Life can be wicked, love can be mean. You taught me well no life is safe, no soul is clean. So while you’re sinking down in the clay, I hope you do a lot of thinking in your grave.”

“Dale, come here, you need to see this.” Carol encouraged, and the man stood up from where he’d been sat, joining her at the window. 

Slowly, Daryl poked his own head out of his tent, chuckling in sheer shock at the sight that greeted him. Rosalina, dancing around camp without a care in the world, forgetting about her stitches and just enjoying herself.

From out of the woods came T-Dog, Rick and Shane, swinging their guns after their second morning out looking for Sophia. They were all grim-faced as they approached the camp, but the closer they got, the more distinct the sound of singing became. Shane looked at Rick, frowning, “Who the hell is that?”

But the man just gave him a knowing smirk, beginning to walk faster. “It’s Rose.”

By the time they were close enough to the camp to see Rosalina, she was in full swing, clicking her fingers and flicking her hair, bouncing back and forth with her eyes closed as her voice reached levels it hadn’t touched in years. They walked around to stand next to Daryl in his tent, laughing together at the scene they had walked into. “I wanna rock your soul! And clear the path, and let the truth be mine at last. Consider all of the tears you could have saved. I hope you do a lot of thinking in your grave!”

Her performance was as entrancing as her voice. She was oblivious to the audience that had gathered to watch her, consisting of Lori, Carl, Carol, Rick, Shane, T-Dog, Dale and Daryl, her only focus on the tune she could hear in her head. “And the souls there, are they kind? Do they know the things you did or did you lie? Go on remember, while you decay. Shit I do believe the nightmares are here to stay.”

Carol and Lori laughed quietly to themselves when Rosalina suddenly spun around, rolling her shoulders and throwing her head back. “Life can be wicked, love can be mean! You taught me well, no life is safe, no soul is clean! While you’re sinking, down in the clay. I hope you do a lot of thinking in your grave. I hope you do a lot of thinking in your grave.”

Her eyes opened, seeing the crowd she had drawn. Anyone else might’ve been embarrassed, but she only smiled wider. Skipping over to the tent, she grabbed Carl’s hands, leading him out with both of them smiling and laughing. “C’mon sweetheart, we may as well have a dance now.”

Together, she gently swung them back and forth with their hands interlocked, singing with her head thrown back. “I wanna rock your soul, and clear the path! And let the truth be mine at last. Consider all of the tears you could’ve saved. I hope you do a lot of thinking in your grave!” 

She gently spun Carl around, ducking down so that she could spin under his arm, making the group laugh. “I hope you do a lot of thinking in your grave! Oh, ah, ah, ah, ah, ahhh, I hope you do a lot of thinking in your grave!”

She finished with a grin, releasing one of Carl’s hands and turning so that they could bow to those around them together, swinging her hair down and up again. The mischievous glint in her eyes flashed when her gaze came to rest on Daryl, pleased by the smile on his face. Her stomach warmed, and she dropped her gaze down to Carl before a blush revealed her thoughts. 

Her audience all applauded loudly, Carol giving a loud wolf-whistle. Rosalina turned, winking before curtsying in the woman's direction. “Any requests? No point trying to stop me now!”

“How about something a little more cheerful?” Shane requested, forcing Rosalina to make eye contact with him. Her smile dropped a little, but she kept it on her face, nodding to him.

“Alright, I got something a few of you might know.” Rushing across to her tent, she reappeared with her bag, reaching inside to produce a cassette player, checking the tape inside and smiling. “And look at that, it’s set up all ready for me.”

“Get on with it!” Daryl ordered, but he was still smiling, a joking note in his tone. 

Rosalina rolled her eyes at him, glancing down at Carl and covering his eyes with one hand before flipping Daryl off. The group chuckled, especially loud when Carl forcibly removed Rosalina’s hand, staring up at her with an offended expression. “Sorry, honey, you’re a little too young for certain things.”

She returned to her cassette player, pressing play. A loud guitar solo started to play, Rosalina’s head automatically nodding along to the drum beat, swaying with a smile. “Like a fool, I’m failing, falling. In a web, I’m trapped and calling. Into a thousand million pieces, I will shatter if and when she pleases!”

Tossing her head back with a new confidence, she looked directly at Daryl, smirking as she sang, “She has a way of making me feel wild, has me feeling just like a child. Am I weak or is it just to tempting? To see the smile in her eyes unending?”

Her gaze lingered, winking once before bouncing across to Carol. She pulled the woman down out of the RV, ignoring her reluctance, clutching her hands as she sang the next line directly to her. “She’s gonna leave me paralysed! She’s gonna leave me terrified!”

The thumping of the drums echoed through camp, Rosalina stepping back from Carol and jumping up and down in time, abandoning her singing and instead shouting along, “She’s a devil with a kiss kiss bang bang, bad blood running through her veins! She’s a fire with a kiss kiss bang bang! You will never ever be the same!”

Behind her, Carl had dragged Lori out of the tent, and together they jumped up and down to the music, Lori laughing at Carl’s excitement. Rick smiled fondly at the sight.

Ceasing her jumping, Rosalina looked over at the four men who stood watching, rolling her eyes before running over, grabbing ahold of Rick and Daryl’s arms. “Come on, this is the best bit!”

“I don’t dance.” Daryl informed her gruffly, but she just clicked her tongue, dropping Rick’s arm to pull Daryl closer to the source of music. 

“Just take a look at me, I’m shaking,” She sang lowly, raising her eyebrows suggestively, trying to get the stock-still man to move. She swung his arms, swaying her hips at the same time. “Two nights gonna have me breaking. Into a thousand, million pieces, I will shatter if and when she pleases. She has a way of making me feel wild, has me feeling just like a child! Is it heaven or is hell there waiting? Is there any point hesitating?”

Running her tongue over her lips, Rosalina laughed joyfully when Daryl lifted his arm up, spinning her around. He was still otherwise stationary, allowing Rosalina to guide his movements as she began to bounce up and down. “She’s gonna leave me petrified. She’s gonna leave me traumatised. She’s a devil with a kiss kiss bang bang, bad blood running through her veins. She’s a fire with a kiss kiss bang bang, you will never ever be the same!”

Rosalina led Daryl round in a circle, singing up at the sky as they spun. “I can’t escape her, try as I can. And I just can’t hate her, try as I can, I can.”

Shane, Dale, T-Dog and Rick watched amusedly, glancing between the grinning Rosalina and reluctantly smiling Daryl to Lori, Carol and Carl, who were all standing in a circle, shouting the lyrics along laughing. “She’s a devil with a kiss kiss bang bang, bad blood running through her veins! She’s a fire with a kiss kiss bang bang, you will never ever be the same! She’s a devil with a kiss kiss bang bang, bad blood running through her veins! She’s a fire with a kiss kiss bang bang, you will never ever be the same!”

Finally the last note played, Rosalina dramatically breathing out. She grinned up at the almost sheepish looking Daryl, her eyes still alight with joy and her cheeks still flushed from the effort of dancing and bouncing up and down. To him, she looked stunning.

But then she dropped his hands, stepping back with a laugh. “You’d be a good dancer, Daryl. You just need to loosen up a little.”

“I ain’t doing that again.” He promised her, shaking his head.

She rose her eyebrows confidently. “We’ll see.”  

“So, jazz band, huh?” T-Dog called over, and the camp erupted into careless laughter that was as rare as a Chupacabra sighting. 

Rosalina set her hand son her hips, raising one eyebrow with a smirk. “Yes, jazz band. And a bloody good one at that I’ll have you know!”

“I loved the dance moves, Daryl!” Shane informed him, a grin on his face. Daryl shot him a glare, but resisted saying anything, still fighting off a smile. 

Looking around, Rosalina was pleased by the result of her sing and dance routine. Carol, even if it was only briefly, looked as though she’d had the weight of the world lifted off her shoulders, crinkles appearing around her eyes from how wide she was smiling. 

Lori was holding Carl in front of her, kissing the top of his forehead as the younger boy continued to sing along to the next song that had started playing on Rosalina’s tape, looking his actual young age for the first time since his accident. One glance over at Rick showed the man relaxed in a way she hadn’t seen since the first night at camp when he’d been reunited with his family. 

Even Shane, T-Dog and Dale, who were usually quite serious and sarcastic, were openly laughing and mocking Daryl’s dancing, the man in question failing at biting back a smile. 

Unable to help herself, Rosalina’s gaze caught on Daryl, seeing the flush in his cheeks from both dancing and embarrassment, liking the way his eyes warmed when he genuinely smiled and didn’t just smirk. It made her heart beat ten times faster.

She wished the moment could never end. But, alas, she knew it had to.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the next morning, the group had returned to their somber moods, but all of them could tell there was less of a tension present between them all. Rosalina was pleased to see that Carol was eating with them, rather than taking her meal alone in the RV, and Lori was sat between Rick’s legs on the floor, feeding one another bits and pieces of their plate. They looked happy, and that satisfied her.

She herself had taken a seat next to Glenn, a plate of unknown meat and scrambled eggs on her plate. As she ate, she allowed herself to relax, until she caught sight of Glenn’s face. “You okay, sweetie?”

He started, looking up at her as though he hadn’t noticed she was there. He probably hadn’t, she considered. “No.”

“Well, they always say honesty is the best course of action,” She joked, but he was too tense to laugh. “What’s going on?”

“I need to tell the group about the barn.” He whispered to her, eyes flittering around to make sure nobody had heard him.

Rosalina immediately shook her head, feeling her stomach drop. “Are you kidding me? Right here, right now? Why not just approach Rick quietly? Surely that would work easier.”

“They have a right to know,” He hissed back, setting his plate on the floor. “If you were them, you’d wanna know, right? So why shouldn’t I tell them?”

Rosalina gaped at him, seemingly at a loss. “Have you been paying attention to this group? You’re going to start a riot if you just come out with this sort of information over breakfast. Please, just talk to Rick first-”

“I’m sorry,” He stood up, starting to walk away, ducking away from Rosalina’s hand when it shot out to stop him. “Uh, guys?”

“Don’t do this, Glenn,” Rosalina hissed form where she stood, but he ignored her, addressing the group as they sat eating contently. “Dumbass.”

“Uh, so. The barn’s full of walkers.” Silence descended over them all, quiet enough to hear a pin drop, and especially quiet enough to hear Rosalina whisper, “Shit.”

Rick, naturally, was the first to speak up while the rest stared at Glenn with a mixture of shock and disbelief. “What do you mean, the barn’s full of walkers?”

“I mean, there are walkers in the barn,” Glenn rephrased, clenching his fists at his sides, his nerves only increasing under the watchful eyes of the group. He wasn’t used to an audience. “A lot of them.”

The effect of his words was immediate. Daryl tossed his food to the ground, furious, while Carol and Lori shared fearful looks between one another. Andrea and Shane both reached for the guns they always kept with them, but upon receiving a warning look from Rick, stopped. “Are you sure?”

“Well, there’s one way to check,” Shane jumped up, striding over to the barn. 

Rosalina rolled her eyes, standing up to follow. “We can’t have everyone striding over to that barn, Hershel will guess that something’s afoot. Glenn, Rick, Lori and Andrea come with me, to stop Shane from acting out if nothing more, The rest of you stay where you are and wait for us to come back and give further instructions.”

Taking the lead seemed to come naturally to her, and nobody dared argue seeing her steely expression, even Daryl settling for glaring furiously at the ground instead of starting a debate. Satisfied, Rosalina spun around, following Shane towards the barn, those she had instructed to follow quickly joining her. Naturally, Carl trailed behind his parents, but Rosalina didn’t bother to try and stop him.

Reaching the barn, Rosalina and those she summoned found Shane peering through the gaps in the door, jumping when a walker appeared between the gap and startled him. He spun around, telling Rick angrily, “You can’t possibly support this!”

“We’re guests here,” Rick told him, with surprising calmness given the situation. “This isn’t our land.”

“These are our lives!” Shane yelled back, and Rosalina was quick to chastise him.

“Keep your voice down!” She ordered, glancing over to the farmhouse, seeing no sign of movement. “The last thing we need right now is a confrontation with the Greenes.”

“We can’t just sweep this under the rug.” Lori pointed out, following Rosalina’s orders and keeping her voice low. 

Shane seemed eager to express his own opinions. “We either gotta go in there and make things right, or we just gotta go. Now, we have been talking about Fort Benning for a long time-”

“We can’t go!” Rick cut him off, raising one hand to emphasise his point.

“Why, Rick? Why not?” Shane demanded, and Rosalina silently cursed herself for not arming herself before leaving, concerned Shane could turn violent at any moment. 

“Because my daughter’s still out there.” None of them had seen the others approaching, and as Rosalina turned she could barely meet the mother’s gaze. 

Shane covered his face, breathing out heavily. “Okay. I think it’s time that we all start to just consider the other possibility.”

Inhaling sharply, Rosalina’s body immediately spun around to face Daryl, seeming him start forward angrily. “I’m close to finding this girl! I just found her damn doll a few days ago!”

“You found a doll, Daryl, that’s what you found. A doll!” Shane argued, shaking his head, and Rosalina geared up to throw herself forward when she saw Daryl’s face turn an angry red.

“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about!” Rushing to him, Rosalina rested a hand on his arm, forcing his gaze down to her. “What?”

“He’s wrong, we both know he’s wrong,” She spoke hurriedly, her words quick and sharp as she tried to diffuse the situation. “Fighting isn’t gonna prove that though.”

But Shane was yelling over the top of her, working only to spur Daryl on. “If you find a good lead, you got forty-eight good hours, after that it don’t matter!”

“Daryl, Daryl ignore him.” Rosalina struggled to hold him back, both hands wrapping around his wrists, pushing him back. He glanced between her and Shane, breathing heavily in a way that Rosalina had seen only twice before, and both times she’d ended up being thrown into a wall. 

“And you know something else, man!” If she could, Rosalina would’ve shot Shane her most cutting glare. “If she was alive out there, and saw you coming, all kitted out with your buck knife and geek ears around your neck, she would run in the other direction, man! “

“Shut up!” Daryl yelled furiously, pushing against Rosalina, trying his best to get up into Shane’s face. “Just shut up! I’ll beat your ass!”

“Daryl!” Rosalina shouted, trying her hardest to keep him back, Andrea joining her in trying to restrain the two men, Rick pulling on Shane’s arm to hold him back. “Daryl, stop it!”

“The hell you know!” He screamed in her face, yanking his arms harshly out of her grip and knocking her to the ground with one fierce shove. She tumbled onto the floor, letting out a cry of pain as she landed on her injured side, one hand flying to press against the healing wound while the rest of the group focused on keeping Daryl from lunging at Shane.

Pulling herself to the side, out of harm’s way, she whimpered quietly to herself as she felt blood starting to drip through her shirt, keeping her mouth closed as she watched the scene unfold before her.

“Just let me talk to Hershel!” Rick called over the noise, Shane finally backing off and starting to walk away while Daryl still struggled against T-Dog and Andrea to get at him. “Let me figure it out.”

“What are you gonna figure out?” Shane yelled, charging at Rick, but this time it was Lori who stepped in, forcing him back.

“If we’re gonna stay here, if we’re gonna clear this barn, I have to talk him into it. This is his land!” Rick argued with Shane, trying hard to play the voice of reason.

Rosalina pressed her hand closer against the freshly open wound as Dale stepped forward to talk, focusing hard on keeping her breathing even as pain jarred through her side at every small movement. “Hershel sees those things in there as people, sick people. His wife, his stepson.”

“You knew?” Rick asked, confused.

“Yesterday. I talked to Hershel.” Dale explained bluntly. 

Shane called out angrily from where he was still being pushed back by Lori, “And you waited the night?”

“I thought we could survive one more night,” Rosalina was surprised by the intent dislike that shone in Dale’s eyes as he glared back at Shane with all the strength he could muster. “We did. I was waiting until this morning to say something, but Glenn wanted to be the one.”

“That man is crazy, Rick!” Shane insisted. “If Hershel thinks those things are alive or not-”

He was cut off by the sudden movement of the barn doors, accompanied by the loud groans of the walkers within. Rosalina’s eyes darted down to her side, questioning whether they could smell the blood. She wouldn’t be surprised if they could. 

Keeping a hand on her wound, she forced herself up off the ground, staggering over to Carol as she moved backwards away from the barn. “Hey, Carol? I kinda got a situation here.”

Carol turned, gasping in surprise as she was met with a bloodied and limping Rosalina. “Rose, why didn’t you say something!”

“They weren't exactly giving me an opening,” She laughed, but then winced in pain, crying out, “Fuck!”

Her cry caught the attention of the rest of the group, all taken aback to see a pale Rosalina clinging on to Carol as she clutched at the open wound in her side. Daryl felt his throat clog up, frozen stock still as he realised, he had done this.

“We gotta get her to Hershel, now!” Rick ordered. T-Dog was quick to run over, picking her up bridal style and starting to jog with her towards the house, Carol and Lori following him hurriedly while Rick and Carl ran ahead to warn Hershel of the oncoming group.

“How the hell did she manage that?” Andrea asked from where she stood, face white with panic and eyes wide with concern.

Daryl pretended not to notice the incriminating glances shot at him from those who had seen, kicking the ground and producing a cloud of dust and dirt, curing loudly as he stomped back over to camp, trying hard to pretend the tightness of his chest was from the adrenaline his almost fight with Shane had caused, and not the guilt of knowing he had hurt Rosalina.

Meanwhile, in the house, Rosalina was being laid on an all too familiar bed. Rather than Hershel, Patricia was setting her up, Maggie and Beth doing their best to calm down those who had come with her, although both were casting nervous glances over their shoulders as Patricia nervously worked.

“I’m starting to get used to being stitched back up like a rag doll,” Rosalina joked through gritted teeth, her head pressed back against the pillow, her eyes closed tight. “How bad is it, doc? Be honest.”

“You’ll be fine,” Patricia assured her in a soft southern accent. “You only pulled out two of the end stitches, it’s nothing too serious. The bleeding was mainly from where you scraped the skin when you fell.”

Rosalina breathed a laugh of relief, muscles unclenching when the woman pulled back and set the needle down, already having finished restitching. “Thank you, Patricia.”

“It’s fine,” She gave her a quick smile, allowing her to sit up in the bed. “Take it a bit easier than you have though. We can’t keep stitching that wound up, it’s creating scar tissue.”

“Trust me, I’ll be careful.” Maggie didn’t see Carl slip through her legs into the room, running up to Rosalina and pulling her into a hug. “Whoa, careful honey.”

“Are you okay?” He questioned, clinging to her. Maggie and Beth finally relented, allowing Rick, Carol, Lori and T-Dog to enter the room.

“Hey, I’m fine. I just popped my stitches again, nothing too serious.” She assured him softly, gently moving him back to give him a grin. “Don’t worry, I do stuff like this all the time, you don't need to panic.”

“But you were bleeding.” Lori stepped forward, setting her hands down on Carl’s shoulders.

“And Patricia fixed her up. She’s gonna be fine.” With this, she smiled up at Rosalina. 

Rick stepped closer. “Rose, you shouldn’t have thrown yourself between Shane and Daryl. You know what they can get like, and you’re already injured, Next time, just let us handle it.”

She smirked. “I’m worried you know there’s going to be a next time.”

She managed to draw laughs from the group, Rick shaking his head at her. “Come on, lets get you back to your tent. You can take it easy today, for real this time.”

“Hey, you won’t hear me complaining. I apparently wasn’t built for this sort of action.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You can't go out there,” Having carefully displaced Rosalina in her tent, Carol followed Daryl into the stable, seeing him setting up a horse to go back out into the forest. “You can’t.”

“I’m fine.” He insisted ignorantly, despite the fact he couldn’t even lift a saddle without wincing in pain, his breathing heavy and laboured.

Carol pushed on. “Hershel said you need to heal.”

“Yeah, well I don’t care.” Daryl denied, keeping his head down to the ground as he tightened the bridle. 

“Yeah? Well I do,” Carol’s lips pressed together, knowing the danger of her next sentence. “And so does Rose.”

“I got Rose hurt.” He hissed back, and Carol could clearly see the way his muscles tensed at the mention of her name. Despite the warning signs, she continued to push, knowing that if Daryl went out on his own in his current physical and mental state, he’d only get himself hurt.

“Rose is fine, it was just a few stitches that came loose. And she doesn’t blame you, you must know that,” She dared to edge closer. “Rick’s going out later to follow the trail.”

“Yeah,” Daryl nodded, showing no inclination of relief upon hearing Rosalina was fine. “Well, I ain’t gonna sit around and do nothin’.”

“No, you’re going to go out there and get yourself hurt even worse. And I know Rose wouldn’t forgive me if I let you,” Carol ignored his scoff of disbelief. “We don’t know if we’re going to find her, Daryl. We don’t. I don’t.”

She refused to allow her fear to show through when Daryl paused in saddling up the horse, instead turning to her and asking with a dangerous edge to his voice, “What?”

“We can’t lose you too,” She flinched when he dropped the heavy leather of the stirrups on the ground, advancing towards her. “Neither Rose or I wanna lose you too.”

Anybody else would’ve been softened by the tears that fell freely from the grieving mother’s eyes, but not Daryl. They only made him angrier.

With a grunt, he tossed the saddle to the ground, the loud clanging noise making Carol jump. When he gasped in pain, keening over and clutching his side, she rushed forward. “Are you alright?”

“Just leave me be!” Daryl cast her off furiously, staggering away, doubled over. “Stupid bitch.”

His hurtful words hit Carol hard, and she could only stare after him despairingly. But at least she stopped him from going out at getting hurt, no matter the cost it had to herself.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	11. General in training

“Got any fours?” Rosalina asked lazily, lying stomach down on her bed, Carl sat cross legged on the floor next to her. His textbooks were stacked up neatly to the side, Rosalina having been put in charge of his tutoring hour for the day. However, he’d finished what he needed to do quickly enough, so she’d suggest she teach him a few cards games instead. 

“Go fish,” He smirked, Rosalina narrowing her eyes at him playfully before picking a card up off the stack sat in front of her. “Any fives?”

“Go fish, honey.” He groaned, making her laugh. 

They continued quietly like this for a few minutes, before Carl finally plucked up the courage to ask the question that had been plaguing him all morning. “Are we going to get thrown off the farm?”

Rosalina hesitated as she moved to pick up another card, frozen. But she pulled herself together too quickly for Carl to notice, deciding to speak honestly because she doubted any other adult he asked would be frank. “Honey, I’ll be completely blunt here. We might have to move on. But if we do, then I promise we will find somewhere just as safe, and get the same routine going that we have here. Wherever we move onto next, if we do move, you will be safe. I swear to you that I, and everyone else here, will keep you safe.”

Carl stared up at her, seeing the reassurance in her eyes. “Okay.”

She smiled down at him, unable to help the smugness that crept into her expression as she said, “And, that’s all my pairs! Eat my dust, sucka!”

“That’s not fair!” Carl exclaimed immediately, outraged. But he started to smile when Rosalina jumped up, starting to mockingly dance around the room. “You’re so weird.”

Rosalina gasped, giving him a light shove. “That was rude! You should have respect for your elders...some of them anyway. Actually, life lesson for you, honey; don’t respect any adult who doesn’t respect you. Chances are, if they’re treating you like nothing more than a stupid kid, they don’t deserve your respect.”

Carl nodded, brow furrowed hard as if he was taking the advice and memorising it. Chuckling at him, Rosalina pushed the brim of his Sheriff hat down over his eyes. “Go on, go see your mum or dad, I’m gonna catch my forty winks. I’m absolutely exhausted from beating you in cards!”

Rolling his eyes at her, Carl gathered up his books. “Bye, Rose.”

“See ya.”

Rosalina took the moment of peace and quiet to sit back against her bed, considering the hectic morning they’d had.

Everybody’s reaction to the barn hadn’t surprised her. She knew Shane would be angry and ready for action, and that Rick would be considering how it all affected their relations with Hershel and his family. In her opinion, Rick was taking the smart approach, trying to discuss and debate what could be done rather than yelling and losing his temper, only to make a fatal mistake in his moment of rage that could cost them the farm. 

Speaking of losing tempers, she was pissed at Daryl. Not only because he’d so carelessly knocked her to the side once again in a brief moment of anger, but because he hadn’t come to check on her since. After the previous night, she’d started wondering if there was more to their flirty relationship on both sides, but his actions today, or lack of actions rather, made it clear there wasn't. She was just a joke to him, nothing more, nothing less. Perhaps he considered her a friend, but if so she wasn't one he valued highly.

The thought made her stomach twist, and she turned on her side, facing the tent wall. Clenching her eyes closed, she bit down on her lip, ignoring the burning sensation she could feel pushing through her nose and eyes that usually meant she was going to cry, pretending she was fine. Daryl was fine without her, off enjoying himself wherever the hell he was that wasn’t here with her, so she’d be fine in her own without him. 

“Fuck him.” She murmured. “Fuck Daryl Dixon.”

She wasn’t sure when she fell asleep, but all she knew was that when she woke up to a commotion outside her tent, her eyes were red and sore, much to her annoyance. 

Sitting up, careful not to knock her thrice done stitches, she stood up. Snatching her daggers up for the first time in a week, she strapped them on to her back, walking out of the tent to find T-Dog, Andrea, Daryl and Carol all staring around in confusion. “Where the hell is everyone?”

“I thought you were going out with Rick,” Rosalina ignored Daryl’s question, aiming her comment to Andrea and T-Dog. She didn’t notice the guilt in Daryl’s eyes as he turned to face her, seeing her red face and shaky movements. “What’s going on?”

“No idea in hell.” T-Dog answered honestly, squinting into the distance. “I can see some people hanging round at the house, maybe Rick’s over there.”

“Lets go.” Andrea agreed, the five jogging over as fast as they could without leaving the slightly slower Rosalina behind, reaching the house to find Maggie and Glenn sat together on the steps while Carl and Lori sat around the table with Beth and Patricia. 

“Guys, where’s Rick?” Rosalina asked, catching the attention of them all.

Lori shook her head, eyeing Andrea and T-Dog in confusion. “I thought he was out searching with you guys?”

“He never showed up at the meeting point,” Andrea shrugged, seeing Shane approaching out of the corner of her eye. “Maybe Shane knows.”

But Rosalina’s gut twisted up into knots as she saw Shane approaching with the bag of guns and ammo, his jaw set determinedly. “This isn’t going to be good.”

Maggie seemed to share her concerns, jumping up with Glenn close at her side. Daryl was the first to question why he was so heavily armed. “What’s all this?”

Shane ignored him, handing him a gun. “You with me, man?”

Daryl met his eyes, and gave a quick nod, seeming to understand immediately what was going on. He took the gun. Rosalina scoffed, unable to mask her disgust, and when he turned to look at her she shook her head at him, brow scrunched together. “What?”

“You know exactly what.” She murmured, not giving him the chance to defend himself as Shane rounded on the rest of them.

“Time to grow up!” He informed them all, handing Andrea and T-Dog guns.

“I thought we couldn’t carry?” T-Dog asked, feeling the storm that was brewing as he accepted the gun, shooting Rosalina an apologetic look when she glared at him.  
“Yeah, well, we have too.” Shane shrugged him off. “Now look, it was one thing standing around here picking daises when we thought this place was supposed to be safe. But now we know it ain’t! How bout you man? You gonna protect yours?”

His last comment were directed to Glenn, who determinedly took the gun offered to him. Rosalina let out an exclamation of disbelief, turning the attention of Shane and the rest to her. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? If you start gearing up an angry mob to take out the barn, Hershel is gonna toss us out and you god well fucking know it! So what the hell do you think you’re playing at, jackass, cause we can’t afford to be tossed back out on the road! Not with that little girl lost out there in the woods, not with Carl still recovering and not with the states that Daryl and I are still in!”

“We ain’t going anywhere, okay?” Shane tried to reassure them all, seeing people were starting to become uneasy after hearing Rosalina’s words, even the usually quick to jump to his side Andrea. “Hershel, he’s just gotta understand, okay? Well, he’s going to have to. And we need to find Sophia. Am I right?”

The glare Rosalina shot at the man when he approached Carl his argument was sharp enough to kill a man, causing Daryl to step forward just in case she attacked him from behind. “Now, I want you to take this. You take it, Carl, and you keep your mother safe.”

‘Stop it!” Rosalina ordered, striding forward, ignoring the pain in her side and she pulled on Shane’s arm hard enough to yank him around to face her. “Stop gearing us up like soldiers for war! You are not our fucking general, and I won’t let you start a mutiny just to feed your little power complex!”

Shane’s arm rose, and the group all started forward, certain he was going to hit her. But Rosalina stood her ground, glowering up into his cold eyes with a ferocity that he could never even hope to match. It was at that moment that T-Dog spotted five figures making their way across the field. “Oh shit.”

Forcing herself to back down for a moment, Rosalina turned to see Jimmy leading Rick and Hershel, both of whom were forcing a walker each forward, keeping them at arms length with a long pole that had a hook around the end that wrapped around the walker’s neck to keep them trapped. “Oh, Rick, you are not making this easier for me.”

“What is that?” Shane yelled, starting to run. The rest quickly joined him, Rosalina struggling to keep up, not wanting to have a fourth trip upstairs to resew her stitches. “Man, what the hell are you doing!”

Keeping a few feet between themselves and the walkers, the group glared reproachfully/furiously at Rick, Maggie and Rosalina the only ones seeming completely panic stricken. “Shane, just back off!”

“Are you kidding me?” Shane started to circle around them, jabbing angrily at the walkers. “You see? You see what they’re holding on to?”

“I see who I’m holding onto!” Hershel yelled back, struggling to keep the walker contained with so much food running around him, pulses running high. 

“No, man, you don’t!” Shane argued.

Rick pleaded with him, shouting his orders desperately. “Shane, just let us do this! Then we can talk!”

“What do you want to talk about, Rick?” Shane yelled back, following them as they started to walk towards the barn. “These things ain’t sick! They ain’t people! They’re dead! Ain’t gotta feel nothing for them, because all they do? They kill! These things, right here! They’re the things that killed Amy! They killed Otis! They’re gonna kill all of us!”

As he started on the personal attacks, Rosalina felt her fury build, seeing the grief in the others’ expressions. When she saw Daryl raise his gun, directing it on a walker despite Rick yelling at him not to, she snapped. “Shut the fuck up! Just shut up for once in your miserable life!”

“Rose, can it!” Daryl yelled, and when Rosalina rounded on him, glaring with her jaw tensed like a viper waiting to strike, he found his new worst fear.

“Don’t you dare tell me to shut up!” She snarled, happy to see him stumble back for a moment, blinded by the power in her words. “Shane, if you do this, it will be your fault! Everything that happens afterwards will be your fucking fault! Can you handle that? Can your egotistical, desperate for everything to be in your control nature handle the hatred that will hit you in leaps and bounds!”

He stared her down, keeping eye contact as he moved to stand in front of the female walker Hershel was leading. He stared at her as he raised the gun, asking Hershel. “Hey, Hershel. Could a living, breathing person, could they walk away from this?”

The first shot he fired was to the chest, and the group all flinched back at the loud gunshot, followed by two more. Of course, the walker kept scrambling for meat. “That’s three rounds in the chest! Could someone who’s alive, could they just take that? Why is it still coming?”

He continued to fire, Rick yelling out desperately, “That’s enough Shane!”

“Hey, you know what, man, you’re right,” He stalked straight up to the walker, and Rosalina could only watch with clenched fists, body shaking as Shane fired into the walker’s skull. “That is enough.”

To the side, Patricia released a cry of surprise, clutching a trembling Beth’s hand. “Enough searching for a little girl who’s gone! Enough living next to a barn full of things that are trying to kill us! Enough!”

His words hit as hard as his bullets, Rosalina hearing Carol gasp behind her but too angry to move to comfort her. Every impulse in her body was spurring her on, pleading with her to pull out her daggers and aim them into Shane’s head and heart. But instead, she fought against her own body, tensing and relaxing every muscle over and over to try and maintain control over her temper. “Rick, it ain’t like it was before. Now, if y’all wanna live, if you wanna survive, you gotta fight for it! I’m talking about fighting, right here, right now!”

Finishing his speech, Shane ran forward, making a break for the barn while Rick was trapped with the snare pole connected to the walker. He yelled at Hershel, begging him to take it.

Rosalina, meanwhile, ran forward, drawing her daggers as she charged towards Shane, ready to knock him out and end this battle. But then a strong hand shot out, clutching her tight enough to leave bruises. Letting out a cry of pain, she rounded on Daryl, trying her hardest to pull away. “He’s going to get us thrown off the farm! He’s going to get us killed, let me go!”

“I’m sorry.” He apologised, but Rosalina didn't believe him, screaming in panic as she turned to watch Shane attack the bolts on the bars with a pickaxe.

Around her, Glenn, Rick, Lori and others all called out, begging and pleading with him to stop. But they were too late. 

He pulled the chains and locks away, leaving the doors free to be pushed open by the rotting, starving walkers. Running back, he pulled his gun out, aiming for the first walker that creaked the door open. 

It was a chaotic frenzy of walkers moaning, approaching quickly, while around Rosalina others cried and screamed. Daryl released her, storming forward to join Shane and Andrea on the first line of defence, opening up on the walkers.

Rosalina watched in horror as the group unloaded on the walkers, ignoring the sobbing Greene family. For a moment, she considered joining Hershel down on his knees. But then her fury spiked, and she withdrew her daggers, storming forward.

She ignored the onslaught of bullets around her, blocking out the screams and cries for her to step back as she stepped out into the mob of walkers. Her blades sliced through skulls with ease, Rosalina unaware of the grunts and yells she released each time she stabbed another walker.

“Stop fucking firing!” Daryl yelled, shoving Shane harshly as he continued to shoot despite Rosalina being directly in his line of fire. Everybody else had stopped, already joining Rosalina in her hand to mouth attack of the walkers, crushing the skulls in with the butt of their guns. 

Finally, as the onslaught began to thin out, over half more than certainly killed by the mass of anger that was Rosalina, T-Dog and Glenn finally managed to pull her back, giving them space to shoot freely. She followed them easily, panting heavily, eyes watering as she stared around at the destruction Shane’s temper had caused. 

Maggie was clutching her father as he stood on his knees, both of them freely sobbing. Patricia, Beth and Jimmy all clung to one another, burying their faces down against each other’s shoulders, desperate not to see their friends and family killed, no matter what form they had already been diminished to. Lori knelt on the floor, Carl tucked close against her chest, both of them watching fearfully. When she looked up, she could see Glenn’s tears streaming down his afce as he shot, clearly recalling all Maggie had said to him when she had begged him to keep the barn a secret.

Shakily, Rosalina dared to look at Daryl, finding him shooting each and every walker that approached with a grim determination. She forced back a gag. 

Finally, the walkers seemed to be finished, Daryl firing the final shot to take what appeared to be the last one down. They were all left in silence, with the exception only of loud, heart-wrenching sobs and heavy breathing. 

Rosalina gripped her daggers tight, hearing moaning from within the barn. Everybody who had dropped their guarded stances rearmed, focused on the barn door. But the walker that stumbled out made them all freeze.

“Oh god,” Rosalina choked, recognised the mud stained purple shirt with a printed rainbow on the front instantly. The short blonde hair, dirty covered trainers, all of it made it clear who the young, female walker in front of them was. “Sophia.”

From the back of the crowd, Carol cried out, sobbing. “Sophia!”

She ran forward, but Rosalina was quick to intercept her, dropping her daggers to the ground and sprinting to Carol before she could reach what once had been her daughter. Together, they collapsed to the floor, Rosalina holding Carol in a tight embrace and she desperately reached out for her little girl. 

Daryl came around them, kneeling down to help Rosalina pull Carol back, wrapping an arm around her waist while Rosalina’s were around her shoulders, comforting her in the devastating moment. “I’m sorry.”

Rosalina rambled apologies and condolences, random words of comfort trailing off in a long spiel if only to block out the noise of Sophia's hungry growling. She did, however, keep her eyes on Sophia and the crowd, seeing that nobody could dare to lift their weapon up and shoot, not even Shane. 

Finally, it was Rick who worked up the courage to draw his weapon, storming forward and pointing it at what had once been the sweetest little girl Rosalina had ever had the pleasure of meeting. 

She forced herself to keep watching, even as everyone else turned away, pushing herself to keep watching as Rick fired the lethal bullet that sent Sophia tumbling to the ground, falling still on the floor.

Carol screamed out in agony, but Rosalina held her sobs in, keeping a tight grip on the woman's shoulders as she grieved. But, despite the devastating moment, she couldn’t quite manage to look Daryl in the eyes. 

Without a word, she helped Carol up onto her feet, allowing the woman to shove her away, running from the scene with loud sobs exploding from her mouth. They all just let her go. 

But Carol wasn’t the only one grieving a loss, as Beth suddenly started forward, rushing towards the pile of bodies. Rick tried to intercept her, but she dodged round him, collapsing onto the ground with a loud cry of, “Mum!”

Suddenly, the walker that had once been Beth’s mother sprung back to life, clutching at Beth’s wrists. Letting out a yell of shock, Rosalina rushed forward, the first to reach the girl and trying her hardest to pull her out of the walker’s tight grip. Others came to join her, managing to pull her to safety, T-Dog, Glenn and Andrea all attacking the walker with a mix of their feet slamming down onto it’s skull to a pick axe into it’s face.

Beth clung to Rosalina, who tried her hardest to cover her face, but Beth fought to see what was happening, whimpering and crying as she did. Patricia came forward, pulling Beth into her arms away from Rosalina, despite the younger girl’s protests.

Hershel gathered his family together, helping Patricia to support Beth and started walking to the house, away form the graveyard the group had created. But Shane couldn’t let them go. “We would’ve still been combing the woods looking for her! You knew!”

“Leave us alone!” Maggie half pleaded, half ordered, hurrying to get her family away from Shane. 

Rick grabbed at Shane’s arm, but the taller man only shook him off. “You knew, and you kept it from us!”

“I didn’t know!” Hershel defended, starting to near the house.

Rosalina ran up, catching up with them, reaching out and gripping Shane’s upper arm. She dug her nails in deep, forcing him to face her with a yelp of pain. “Leave them alone! We’ve done enough!”

“They knew Sophia was in there!” He pushed her back, but Rosalina’s pure, unfiltered fury kept her on her feet, yanking and pulling on his t-shirt as he continued to harass the grieving family. “I think you all knew! Why was she in there?”

“Otis put those people in the barn. Maybe he found her and put her in there before he was killed.” Hershel suggested as they reached the back door to the house, leaving his family to escape the raging Shane and turning to face the man. 

“And you expect me to believe that?” Shane batted Rosalina away, and Glenn caught ahold of her, silently pleading with her to end her attack. She glowered at him, but relented, only because Beth had been ushered inside away from them all. “Do I look like an idiot to you?”

“Hey, hey, hey, everybody calm down!” Rick ordered, but Hershel had had enough now, and Rosalina couldn’t blame him. 

“Get him off my land!” He yelled, shoving Shane back when he squared up against him.

Maggie flew out of the house from where she’d been watching, shoving Shane back and slapping him. “Hey! Don’t touch him! Haven't you done enough?”

For a second, Rosalina seriously considered throwing the glove down and clawing Shane’s eyes out when he moved to shove Maggie, but Glenn yanked him back with a strength none of them knew he had. Sensing he would have a full scale fight on his hands if he touched her, not only from Glenn and Maggie’s family but also by Rosalina based on how she was gearing up to throw herself forward, Shane finally backed down.

As Maggie and Hershel went inside, Glenn turned to Rosalina, apologetic as he said. “She needs me.”

“Go,” She ordered, nodding to the door. “Do what you can for them.”

But the second his feet touched the first step, she turned away, storming across the field to get as far away from Shane before she did something she would regret. 

The closer she got to the group, the more she was forced to bite down her anger. She felt like it was everywhere, clogging up her throat, brewing in her fists, pushing against her clenched teeth. It was unbearable, pressing down on her like a heavy weight until she couldn’t take it, kicking the ground. 

She wondered if this was how Daryl felt all of the time.

“Bad move,” She hissed to herself, the memory of Daryl accepting that gun from Shane etched into her mind like a carving on a tree trunk. “Ugh!”

Reaching the camp, she found it more or less empty, everybody either in their own tents or still over by the barn. She could hear quiet crying, but ignored it, storming into her tent and resisting the urge to rip it down in her frustration. “None of this is fair.”

But speaking the words in her head aloud did nothing to relieve the emotions swirling in her stomach. If anything, they strengthened them. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had to have been hours before anyone approached Rosalina’s tent. She was lying on the bed, curled into a tight ball facing the wall, but she wasn’t asleep. She couldn’t sleep.

“Who is it?” She murmured, feeling the rush of the wind blow through the tent when the entrance was lifted open. “Because, I gotta tell you, I really ain’t in a talking mood.”

“You and me both,” She tensed, the familiar southern, redneck drawl setting her painfully on edge. “I thought you’d be helping digging the graves.”

She kept silent for a few moments before managing to mutter out, “You should be with Carol. I don’t need you here.”

“Look, we didn’t have a choice,” Daryl didn’t bother trying to be gentle, hating every word spoken in the cutting tone she was taking with him. “We were puttin’ our damn lives at risk keeping that barn-”

“And now we’re getting chucked off the farm,” Rosalina whipped around. Her hair was twice it’s usual size, messy and tangled from the act of tossing and turning in her bed for hours on end, and her eyes had lost their painful redness from earlier, replaced instead by a steely glare. “So let me explain to you what happens now, Daryl. We move on. We have to try and find somewhere that we can be safe, and raise children properly, because guess what, Lori is fucking pregnant. Not to mention we still have Carl to look out for! We won’t have the medical care Hershel has been providing, meaning we’re risking Lori’s life when she goes into labour, and no doubt the lives of numerous others because somebody is bound to get hurt at some point. And, all because what? Shane rounded you all up and tricked you like idiots into believing we were ever really at risk! That barn was guarded better than some prisons I’ve been in, we would’ve been fine! And I admit, I was wrong about Sophia, and I’m glad we know for certain now, but it should not have happened like that! Carol should not have been there to see that!”  
By the end of her speech, she was up on her feet, panting hard and tears forming in her eyes. Daryl stared on in shock, his hand automatically twitching forward to rest on her arm, but she saw and stepped back, hissing out, “Please, don’t touch me. Don’t touch me.”

“Rose,” He tried, taking a step forward, but she pressed herself against the back fo the tent, shaking her head. “I’m not gonna hurt you, damn it!”

“Just get out,” She pleaded, blankly staring down at her feet. “Leave me alone.”

He scoffed, slamming his hand against the wall of the tent. Spitting on the floor, he moved to leave, turning back once only to snarl, “I had to see it too! I saw that little girl I almost died for scramble out from that barn dead and rotting! You weren’t the only one!”

Throwing the entrance of the tent back down violently, he left Rosalina in her room, pale and shaking as she slid down onto the floor and finally allowed her anger to disparate into grief for the little girl they’d lost in the woods. 

It wasn’t like her to feel this strongly, or react this emotionally. But this week, she had been in a coma, she had seen a little boy almost die, and she’d seen one of the people she had grown closest to get shot by their own team. And nobody was acknowledging any of it. With each disaster that happened, there was always someone stood waiting to just sweep it under the rug and move on, and each time that person had been Shane. 

She just wanted a break from it all. She wanted to pack up a horse and wander off into the woods for a few days, looking after herself and teaching herself all the skills Daryl would mock her for not knowing. Learning how to hunt was her main one, as it would mean she’d actually be helpful to the group in ways other than their own personal counsellor. Because the weight of that job was starting to wear her down.

But, she naturally pushed this all to the back of her mind when Lori poked her head around the door, informing her that they were ready. Rosalina didn’t have to question what ready meant, standing up and following her out without saying a word. 

The group was gathered around the three graves dug for those who had been lost-Sophia, Annette(Beth’s mother) and Shawn(Beth’s brother). Everyone was there, including Shane and the men of the Greene family-the only exception was Carol, who remained hidden in the RV.

Rosalina slotted into place between Lori and Daryl, ignoring the man. He returned the favour, stiffening when she first appeared, and subtly taking a step to the side, away from her. It was like a stab to the chest for Rosalina. 

Nobody spoke as the dirt was shovelled on top of the bodies, heads bowed and hands clasped together. Rosalina was not a religious woman, never had been and never would be, but as she watched Sophia’s grave be filled, she said a silent prayer for the little girl, and then for Annette, and finally for Shawn. 

Just as they had all come together, they dispersed back out again, silent. 

It was unsettling, Rosalina thought to herself as she began to walk back over to her tent, to see so many touched by grief. They’d lost people before, good people, but this was something different. This was a child, someone they could’ve saved if they’d just found her a little faster. But they hadn’t. And now she was gone, and the group was going to have to move on, both mentally and physically. But she wasn’t sure they were ready for either. 

Her inner monologue was interrupted when a panicked Glenn ran up to her, breathing heavily, “Rose, you’ve gotta come quick. Beth collapsed and we can’t get her to snap out of this trance she’s gone into!”

Panic started in Rosalina’s chest, and she nodded. “Come on, lets go.”

They ran together as best as they could with Rosalina’s injured side, racing into the house and tearing their way up the stairs. Rosalina entered Beth’s bedroom, finding a distraught Maggie kneeling over her glassy eyed sister. Hearing them enter, Maggie turned to face Rosalina, asking helplessly, “What’s wrong with her?”

“It looks like shock,” Rosalina answered, moving forward to gently move Maggie out of the way, leaning over Beth. Her face was pale, no trace of colour in her cheeks, and her eyes remained open, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Even when Rosalina clicked her fingers above her, she didn’t react. “How long has she been like this?”

“About ten minutes.” Maggie was quick to answer, panicked. 

Rosalina nodded, reaching forward and gently turning Beth’s head to each side, checking for any sign of a head injury from when she had collapsed. She found nothing. “Where’s your dad?”

“We can’t find him.” Glenn answered on Maggie’s behalf, Rosalina turning sharply to look at him.

“Great,” She breathed, deciding hurriedly on the next plan of action. “Alright, find Rick or Lori. Tell them Hershel’s missing and Beth needs his attention. Go, now.”

Glenn did as ordered, leaving Rosalina with Maggie and the unresponsive Beth. Rosalina turned to her, gesturing for her to come forward. “I’ve only seen a few patients of mine go into shock, and that was usually straight after they heard their verdicts in court. Feel her skin? She’s cold, but clammy. So you need to keep the windows open, and Beth wrapped in covers. Make sure she can still breath easily.”

Maggie nodded along, absorbing her every word. Rosalina lifted Beth’s wrist, feeling for a pulse. Counting the beats, she estimated that it was about right, despite not being a medical doctor. “There isn’t a lot I can do for her, I’m sorry. I’ve only watched real doctors do their work, and I’m just a grad student with a pHd in behaviour psychology and a degree in criminology.”

“At least you know something,” Maggie breathed out, lifting a hand to her sister’s forehead. “Oh my god, she’s burning up!”

Rosalina’s eyes widened, repeating Maggie’s movements. “She was cold a second ago....it doesn’t matter, ignore what I told you. Your focus has to be on keeping her cool now. Pat her down with a cold compress, don’t let her overheat. Where’s Patricia? You’re gonna need her help.”

“You aren’t staying here?” Maggie asked, panicking.

Rosalina grabbed her hand, meeting her eyes with a reassuring expression. “I’m staying right here, but there’s only so much I can do. Patricia probably has more experience than me in the medical field. Look, I can hear Rick and Lori on the stairs, go to them and they’ll help you sort out where your dad is. I’ll stay right here with Beth, and I’ll run to get you if anything even slightly changes.”

Maggie squeezed her wrist gratefully, leaving the room and Rosalina and Beth in silence. Rosalina moved to the windows, forcing them up to get as much cool air in as possible, moving back and taking a chair and pulling it up to the bed.

It was like a twisted version of what Beth had done for her days before, except Rosalina knew Beth. She knew that this was a sweet, kind, funny girl lying limp in the bed and there was nothing she could do to help her. 

She hated her own helplessness.

Maggie quickly returned, Patricia and Jimmy in tow. “Rick and Glenn are going into town to search for him, they think he might’ve gone to the bar. How is she?”

“The same,” Rosalina said sadly, her hand in Beth’s keeping a her fingers on her pulse. “Her heart rate’s is unsteady, it keeps spiking and then dropping.”

Patricia edged in front of Rosalina, pressing the cold compress she had suggested to Beth’s face. “Do you know what’s happening to her?”

The fact that Patricia was asking set Rosalina on edge. “I was hoping you’d have a better idea than I. We need Hershel.”

“Rick and Glenn just left to go and find him,” Lori told them, appearing at the door, staring down at Beth with motherly concern. “How’s she doing?”

“High temperature, unresponsive and a pulse that keeps changing.” Rosalina answered bluntly, knowing it would do no good to try and sugarcoat the situation.

“Is there anything I can do?” Lori asked, wanting to help however she could.

Rosalina faced her, nodding with a grateful expression. “Open up as many doors and windows as you can, we need to try and steady her temperature.”

Lori nodded, disappearing to do as ordered. Rosalina turned her attentions to the rest of those in the room, including Patricia, Jimmy and Maggie. “Patricia, keep doing what you’re doing, it’s the only way to keep her temperature down. I remember on one case I saw a doctor elevate the prisoner’s feet when they passed out, so Jimmy I need you to stick a few pillows under Beth’s feet. It may be useless, but better safe than sorry. Maggie, just talk to her. We need to try and bring her out of this unresponsive mode, in whatever way we can.”

The control Rosalina had imposed over the room wasn’t disputed by any, all three quickly rushing to do as she had ordered. 

Lori reappeared a few minutes later, Andrea having joined her after being informed of the youngest Greene sister’s state. “I opened as many windows as I could.”  
“Thanks,” Rosalina muttered, frowning. She leaned forward, pressing her finger’s to the base of Beth’s neck, listening hard to the girl’s breathing-she had begun to pant, her chest heaving. “Her pulse is elevated, more so than before and it’s not showing any signs of dropping.”

She turned around, asking Maggie, “How long will it take for Rick and Glenn to bring Hershel back?”

“I don’t know,” She answered, shaking her head, eyes wide. “Why, how badly do we need them?”

Rosalina bit down on her lip, struggling to find a way to word it that wouldn’t cause a panic. “I’m out of my depth here, Maggie. All I know how to do is what we’re already doing. We need your dad.”

Hearing this, Lori stepped forward. “I’ll find someone to go and get them back. Andrea, can you check in on Carl?”

“Of course.” The blonde agreed, and Lori shot her a tight, constricted smile of thanks before leaving the room. 

They were left with the sounds of Beth’s rapid, shallow breathing, Maggie whispering pleading, comforting words into her ear as she begged her to wake up. The panic in the room was making Rosalina’s own heart race like the girl that had been thrust into her care, and she was almost certain that she was slowly setting herself up for a full blown panic attack. 

She started humming, wracking her brain to try and remember the two or three times she’d seen a prisoner go into shock after receiving a life sentence in court, doing everything she could to stop from having packing and worsening the tension in the room. Finally, a thought came to mind. “When was the last time Beth ate?”

“I’m not sure,” Patricia shook her head. “She doesn’t usually let me cook for her because I always put too much on her plate, and she usually skips breakfast. Last night, maybe?”

“Low blood pressure,” Rosalina realised, slowly piecing it together. “The stress combined with the lack of food, it’s sent her blood pressure down. There’s a specific type of shock, cardio something, I remember O’Porter, my uni roommate, revising it for three weeks before one of her exams. I don’t remember how to treat it though.”

“Hershel has medical books all over the farm, I can find it.” Jimmy suggested, eager to be useful as he cast a guilty eye down to Beth. 

Nodding, Rosalina waved him away. “Good lad, go on. It’s cardio something, definitely with a g. Cardioginic? Something like that!”

Jimmy rushed away, leaving the three women alone with Beth. They continued doing their own separate jobs of caring for Beth for hours, leaving only to go to the toilet, take a breather outside of the room or in Patricia’s case cook dinner. Rosalina forced herself to stay where she was, the only one who had bore witness to anything like this before. If there was even the slightest change to Beth’s condition, she was the first to know.

“Where’s Lori?” She finally murmured to Maggie, the only other conscious person left in the room with her. “She said she was going to send someone out looking for them and never came back.”

“She might be downstairs,” Maggie suggested, both of them able to hear Patricia serving dinner up to the group downstairs. “I almost wish I was.”

“Go on,” Rosalina encouraged, nodding her head to the door. “You need to eat. Bring a plate up for me when you’re done.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want-” Rosalina cut her off.

“Go,” She insisted, managing a tired smile. “I’ll be fine up here.”

Giving her a grateful smile, squeezing her shoulder as she passed, Maggie left the room. Rosalina sat, still humming. She was acting like Beth’s personal radio, changing the song every time there was even the slightest movement in Beth’s finger tips, moving from an old Dolly Parton country song her mother had daughter her when she was eleven to her favourite grunge band Nirvana that reminded her of Friday night pub crawls in London. 

All of a sudden, Beth squeezed Rosalina’s fingers harder than ever before, startling her. She chuckled, taking it as a sign Beth wasn’t a fan of grunge, changing instead to the Foo Fighters, even mumbling some of the lyrics. “What if I say I'm not like the others, what if I say I’m not just another one of your plays, you’re the pretender.”

Her quiet sing-a-long was cut off when Maggie rushed through the door, eyes wide. “We can’t find Lori! She might’ve gone after Rick and Glenn by herself, and none of them are back!”

Rosalina struggled to swallow, mind racing. She released Beth’s hand, stumbling to her feet, a plan forming in her mind. “Is everyone still downstairs?”

“Yeah, they’re working out what to do next.” Maggie informed her, and Rosalina was already out the room, ordering Maggie to stay with Beth. She stormed down the stairs, entering the dining room to find pandemonium taking over as everybody panicked. 

“Alright, everyone calm the fuck down!” She yelled, bringing the group to a stand still, even Shane turning to face her-she could see his concern for Lori etched all over his face. “Lori said to Maggie and I that she was going to find someone to go after Rick and Glenn! Did she talk to any of you about that?”  
Looking around, the group all shook their heads, and Rosalina took note of the main missing member. Turning to Carol, she said quietly, “You need to go talk to Daryl. Lori might’ve approached him about going into town, so if you can’t find him it’s possible they’ve gone together.”

“Shouldn’t you talk to him about that?” She asked, confused.

Rosalina didn’t have time to go into specific details. “Right now, I’m the last person he wants to speak too. Go, please.”

As Carol left, Rosalina turned to address the rest of the group. “Look, on the slight chance Lori was thinking straight and hasn’t stormed off into town, we need people searching the farm. Andrea, Carl and Dale head back over to camp and see if she’s anywhere to be found. Shane, you look around by the barn, T-Dog you look round the wider perimeters. I need to stay here with Beth, but if anyone finds her you bring her straight back here and do not inform her that Rick hasn’t returned. Wait until she’s in a safe environment, when she can’t panic. Go, now!”

Nobody questioned her, rushing out of the room, Andrea coaxing Carl out with a hand on his back, trying her best to keep him from panicking, Rosalina couldn’t focus on that, however, when Maggie ran downstairs. “Rose, she started moving.”

“She might be waking up,” Rosalina followed her back upstairs, entering the room to find Beth’s arms had moved up to rest on her chest. Kneeling down at her bedside, Rosalina felt her pulse, eyes widening. “It feels like she’s been running for hours, it’s off the charts. We need Hershel, now.”

“I’ll see if Jimmy found anything in the books.” Maggie decided, forcing back her panic and rushing from the room.

Rosalina took her chair back, leaning across and clutching Beth’s hand. “Come on, Lovegood, don’t do this to us. I don’t think my heart can take any more panic.”

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Andrea came in later to inform Rosalina that Shane had took off into the night in search of Lori, who was nowhere to be found. Daryl had told Carol that she’d come asking him for help, but he refused-Rosalina made a metal note to beat his head in with a brick later.

For now, Rosalina was still sat with Beth. Her head kept nodding forward, begging for her to sleep like Maggie was opposite, half sat in the chair and half sprawled out on the bed at Beth’s side. Patricia was the only one of them who was managing to keep herself awake, perched on the edge of the bed with her hand pressing a wet cloth to Beth’s head.

She seemed to notice Rosalina’s struggle, suggesting gently, “Why don’t you take a walk outside? You’ve been in here for almost seven hours and nothing has changed, you need a break. I’ll be fine with her on my own.”

Rosalina didn’t argue, staggering up with a murmur of gratitude, forced to press herself against the walls as she left the house. Her eyes were heavy, and she had to force herself to keep them open, blinking rapidly in an attempt to keep awake. 

Automatically, without putting too much thought into it, she began to wander over to camp, thinking that if she could just see Carl or blast some music in her ears, she’d be able to keep awake. But the closer she got, the harder it was to stay awake.

She hadn’t eaten since the early morning, she knew that. She blamed her lack of food for her light-headedness, keeping her eyes trained on the ground as she continued to put one foot in front of the other. 

“Rose?” Carol was the first to spot her as she stumbled into camp, tripping over her own feet and face-planting the floor. “Rose!”

She rushed over, abandoning the bags she had been moving and hurrying to pick the girl off the ground. Rosalina tried to brush her off, assuring her that she was fine, but her words were mumbled and garbled. “What happened?”

“I’m so tired,” Rosalina managed to groan out, forcing herself to carry on forwards, leaning heavily on Carol’s arm. “Everything is so fucking dramatic and I can’t keep putting up with it. My stitches hurt, and so does my head, and I just wanna sleep it all off.”

Despite her concern for Rosalina’s state, Carol’s mind couldn’t help but tick with an idea. In the far side of the field, away from everyone else, there was a redneck who was hiding away from the world. Seeing Rosalina in the state she was in, might just pull him back in. “Rose? Rose, I’m sorry, but I need you to walk a little further than your tent. Then you can sleep for as long as you want, and when you wake up, I promise I’ll help you sort through everything.”

Her sleep deprived mind couldn’t fully understand this, allowing Carol to pull her along without much of a fight. “I need to look after, Lovegood, Carol. Please just let me sleep.”

“I’ll let you sleep after this, I promise.” The guilt Carol felt for lugging the girl along with her towards the fire lit camp Daryl had set up alone was immense, but she pushed it to the back of her mind. “Daryl?”

Hearing his name, Rosalina found the resolve to fight back, pulling away from Carol and staggering backwards. “No, I don’t want to see him.”

“Please, Rose,” Carol begged. “He’s pulling away from us all and I just-”

“What the hell is she doing here?” Daryl’s gruff, angry voice made Rosalina stumble back further, shaking her head. “I told you to get lost!”

“Daryl, look at her!” Carol put her plan into action, catching ahold of Rosalina’s wrist and gently tugging her closer to the man as he stalked out of his tent, a shadow cast over his face by the glowing embers of his fire. “This is what happens when you leave the group! Lori, Rick and Glenn are all missing, Hershel’s little girl is in some sort of catatonic shock and Rose is taking the brunt of it all!”

“You’re saying this is my fault?” Daryl accused, stalking forward, his chest pushed out. “She’s the one letting people use her like a doormat, that ain’t on me! None of this is on me!”

“Ugh, shut up,” Rosalina breathed out, pressing her hands to her head. Daryl glared down at her, about to turn his yells to her when she spoke again. “I ain’t getting used like a door mat, I’m trying to do the jobs that others can’t. And thanks for the headache, dumbass.”

He opened his mouth to argue and she looked up at him, fixing him with a tired glare. “If you say it ain’t your fault one more time, I’m going to steal the keys to your motorcycle and ride it over your tent.”

He scoffed, unable to help himself as a smirk started to creep up on his face. “I’d like to see you try. You can’t even stand on your own two feet.”

“Get me a cup of coffee and I’ll be raring to go, I assure you.” She challenged, managing something close to a smile, pushing her hair out of her face. At the side, Carol stepped back, smiling as she saw the ice Daryl had built up around his heart begin to thaw. 

“You’re gonna need more than one cup of coffee,” Daryl informed her, raising his eyebrows as he took in her slouched over form. “You look like shit.”

Rosalina snorted with laughter. “You really know how to charm a girl. But you have a point.”

She staggered forward, past Daryl and towards his tent. He turned calling to her, “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“Your tent!” She called back, waving him off, not bothering to turn back. “Like you said, I look like shit and I need to sleep it off. I ain’t walking back all the way over to my tent, so deal with it, Dixon!”  
Daryl stared after her, a mix of expressions on his face, and Carol wasn’t sure if he was going to laugh or storm after Rosalina as she disappeared inside his tent and yank her back out. But then he just scoffed, kicking the ground and turning to Carol. “This don’t mean shit. I ain’t coming back to the group.”

“I know,” Carol nodded, hiding her relief. “Just look after her? She’s been through a lot this week.”

‘Whatever.” He muttered, walking back over to where the fire was burning, taking a seat on the ground closest to the tent entrance. Carol smiled, nodding once before turning her back on them and walking back over to camp to see if Shane had returned with Lori and the rest.

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	12. Chapter 12

“I can’t believe you let me sleep through the night!” Daryl groggily opened his eyes, propping himself up on his arm to look at Rosalina as she flew out of his tent in a frenzy, her hair sticking up at all angles and her shirt riding up to expose the pale skin of her hips, including the stitches from her gun wound. The large purple bruise that had formed around it looked painful, and he had to turn his gaze back up to her face. “I was only meant to be taking a quick nap! Beth needs me!”

“Huh?” He asked, half asleep, his face scrunched up in confusion. 

Rosalina glowered down at him, running a hand through her hair to try and tame it, failing miserably. “Beth? Luna Lovegood? She went into shock yesterday after Shane got a little trigger happy and open fire on her family. And, as I’m the only person who’s seen someone go into shock, I’m meant to be looking after her!”

“You ain’t no doctor.” Daryl pointed out, rubbing his face with one hand, trying to wake himself up fully. 

“Actually, I am, just not of the medical field,” She fake curtsied, raising her eyebrows mockingly. “Dr Rosalina Jones, at your service. I have a Phd in behavioural psychology, and that’s the closest thing we have to a doctor round here because Hershel ran away to get pissed, and everyone who’s been sent off to go and find him since has magically vanished! So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go play nurse!”

Her misplaced anger managed to wake Daryl up properly, pushing himself up off the floor when she moved to storm away. “Hold up, Rick might already be back and Hershel could be in the house. You oughta check at camp first.”

She paused, releasing a long breath, turning back around to face him. “Fine. But, what happens if he’s not? If Glenn and him are still out in the middle of the town and Shane hasn’t managed to find Lori?”

“Then I’ll go look for them.” He levelled his gaze with hers, and Rosalina took this to be his apology for the previous day.

Slowly, she nodded, straightening her shirt. “Okay, fine. Lets get moving then.”

She couldn’t drop her pride, walking ahead of him back towards the rest of the camp. She could almost sense the smirk on his face behind her, calling back, “Stop staring at my ass, Dixon. You’re making me uncomfortable.”

Daryl snorted, shaking his head, remembering the situation he’d heard those words in last, all those days ago in Atlanta. “How the hell do you do that?”

“I’m a girl, we have a built in radar of these things.” She twisted her head shooting him a knowing smirk, turning back just as they reached the edge of the camp. “Alright, folks, I know you’re out there! Get your asses out and tell me what I’ve missed.” 

Slowly, the group emerged, Rosalina breathing a sigh of relief when she saw Lori approach with Carl under her arm. “Well, at least that’s one person I know is safe and home. What about Rick, Glenn and Hershel?”

“They’re still not back,” Andrea informed her, making Rosalina catch her lip between her teeth, chewing nervously. “Shane brought Lori back last night because she’d crashed on the way there.”

Rosalina gave Lori a quick once over, seeing that she had a cut on her head but was otherwise intact. “Alright. We can’t leave them out on their own any longer, not if they’ve been gone all night. I hate to see it, but realistically we have to consider the idea someone could be injured, or anything could’ve malfunctioned with the car and they’re stranded. We need to send a small, well-armed team into the town, maximum of four or five. Lori, I’m sorry, but you’ve been in an accident and I want you to stay here.”

“I want to go.” Andrea interrupted immediately, and Shane stepped up from the background.

“I’m going.” He didn’t leave it open for conversation, and Rosalina narrowed her eyes, giving him a warning stare before turning to Daryl. 

Her gaze softened, leaning closer to mutter quietly, “I need you to go with them, keep Shane in check. You’re the only one I trust to handle him if he loses it.”

Daryl nodded. “I already said I was going if they weren’t back.”

“Thanks,” Rosalina flashed him a smile, turning back to the group. “Daryl’s joining you two. T-Dog, if it’s not too much to ask-”

“I’m in.” He told her firmly, understanding what she was asking. 

“Thank you,” She replied gratefully, looking between the four. Her eyes quickly skated over Shane. “Get yourselves armed and be ready for anything.”

“Rose?” Dale called out, his eyes trained on something in the distance behind Rosalina’s head. She spun around, seeing the car Rick and Glenn had left in fast approaching the farm house.

“Dad!” Carl yelled out, taking off over the field and towards where the car was pulling into the driveway, Lori quickly running after him. The rest of the group followed, Daryl dropping his usual quick pace to keep only a few feet in front of Rosalina, seeing that she was still being cautious about her stitches. 

They all quickly reached the house, Carl throwing himself into Rick’s arms the second he stepped out of the car, Lori joining the hug moments later. 

Maggie came rushing out of the house, and Rosalina winced when she dodged her father and ran straight to Glenn, seeing the hurt look on Hershel’s face. “Oh, that was cold.”

“He kind of deserved it though.” Daryl pointed out, watching Glenn allowed Maggie to embrace him for a couple of seconds before pulling back.

“True.”

Rosalina furrowed her brow, confused when Hershel called up to Patricia. “Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery.”

“Is someone hurt?” Rosalina asked, looking the trio over for any sign of injury. But then Daryl nudged her, jutting his head to a figure in the backseat. “Who the fuck is that?”

“That’s Randall.” Glenn answered, watching the rest of the group edge closer, staring hard at the clammy, pale man that sat in the back of the car, his head lolled to one side and a bandanna wrapped around his head, working as a blindfold.

“Great, more drama.” Rosalina groaned, Daryl nodding his head in agreement. Deciding to take charge for one last time, seeing that Rick was back, Rosalina called out her orders. “Alright, everybody into the dining room. Lets give Rick a chance to explain this without any yelling.”

Her last words were directed at Shane and Daryl, both of whom scoffed and rolled their eyes at her.

The group did as she ordered, Rick giving her a grateful glance back as he entered the house. The only one who didn’t follow was Daryl, shaking his head at Rosalina when she gestured to the house. Without a word, she shrugged, walking inside.

They gathered around the dining room table, Rick standing at the head. Rosalina moved to the back of the room, next to the window, deciding she’d made her presence known enough this week. “There was another group in town, hostile. We had to kill three of their men, and Randall got caught on a fence trying to escape. The other member of his group drove off and left him. We couldn’t just leave him behind. He would have bled out if he lived that long.”

“It’s gotten bad in town.” Glenn added softly, haunted glint in his eyes, an otherwise vacant expression on his face. Rosalina wondered what had happened to him on their outing.

“What do we do with him?” Andrea was the first to voice the all-important question. 

Before anyone could even attempt to venture an answer, Hershel entered, blood on his white shirt. “I repaired his calf muscle as best I can. But he’ll probably have nerve damage. He won’t be on his feet for at least a week.”

“When he is,” Rick started, knowing he had to try and take control of the situation. “We give him a canteen, take him out on the main road, send him on his way.”

“Isn’t that the same as leaving him for the walkers?” Lori’s question was a fair one, but Rosalina wasn’t paying attention too busy shooting a smile at Daryl when he edged his way into the room, giving her a brief nod. They didn’t speak, standing next to each other watching the others. If he noticed her take a step closer, he didn’t comment.

“You just going to let him go?” Shane pressed. “He knows were we are.” 

“He was blindfolded the whole way here,” Rick was quick to argue, the tired expression on his face suggesting he knew it would be Shane to leave the counter argument. “He’s not a threat.”

“Not a threat?” Shane scoffed. “How many of his group were there in town? You killed three of them. Took one of them hostage. But they ain’t just gonna come looking for him.”

“By the sounds of it,” Rosalina started, calmer than she had been in previous days when dealing with Shane. Her good night’s sleep meant she was able to collect her thoughts together easier. “They left him for dead. I doubt they’re going to be coming looking for him.”

“We should still post a guard.” T-Dog said, deciding it would be better to be cautious than assume Randall couldn’t pose a threat. Rosalina could understand that. 

“He’s out cold right now. Will be for hours.” Hershel informed them.

“You know, I’m going to go get him some flowers and candy! Look at this folks, we’re back in fantasy land!” Shane started to stride out of the room, Rosalina watching him with disgust.

Hershel followed him, calling out, “You know, we haven’t even dealt with what you did at my barn yet! Let me make this perfectly clear once and for all. This is my farm. Now, I wanted you gone. Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. So, do us both a favour. Keep your mouth shut.”

“Oh, if only.” Rosalina murmured, ignoring the nudge Daryl gave her in warning, watching Shane glower at Hershel before stomping out of the house. 

Sensing the tension, Rick gathered the group’s attention back to Randall. “Look, we’re not gonna do anything today. So everybody just cool off, and we can deal with it tomorrow.”

Recognising this as a dismissal, the group dispersed, Daryl charging out before Rosalina could say anything. She rolled her eyes, filing out of the house after him, only getting down the first step before she sighed. Instead of walking back to the camp, she sat down heavily on the porch steps, ignoring the confused looks the group gave her. “I can’t be bothered with walking all the way back over here. Just leave me.”

She dramatically faked passing out on the stairs, earning chuckles from T-Dog, Dale and Rick, Lori and Carol sharing a secret smile while Carl gently nudged her with his foot. She suddenly sprung back to life, grabbing his foot and making him yell in surprise. “Oi, watch who you’re kicking!”

“Come on, leave her in peace, Carl.” Lori ordered, laughing with a shake of her head as she walked a grinning Carl away, Rosalina giving him a final wave. 

She waited until they were all back at the camp to stand up, bending over to touch her toes, stretching out the muscles in her back. She was getting sick and tired of all the constant noise and drama being around so many people created, deciding it was high time she gave herself a break, even if it was only for the day. Hershel was here to look after Beth, everyone was in camp and accounted for, it was the perfect moment.

So, she jogged over to the stables, grateful to find it empty and quiet. Humming to herself, muttering the odd string of lyrics here and there, she saddled up the horse that had naturally become her favourite, Dusty, fussing and petting him as she did.

“Come on, buddy, you and I are going on a little ride. We’ll pop up to my tent so I can bring some supplies, keep us going for the day, okay?” She wasn’t sure why she was telling him all this, knowing he couldn’t understand her nor reply, but she had never been good with silence. 

Pulling herself up onto his back, she set him at a steady pace over to the camp. Most people had taken to their tents, but Dale saw her approaching on her horse, sat in his chair next to a dimming fire. “You heading out?”

“Yeah, just need a break from all this,” She smiled at him, seeing the understanding in his expression as she jumped down, leading Dusty by the reigns to her tent. “I should only be gone for the day, but if you’ve got any food you can spare I’d really appreciate it.”

“Of course,” He rose, walking across to the RV. Rosalina took the moment to dive into the tent, opting to take only her gun and knives, hoping that would be all she’d need in the woods. She also picked up her rucksack of books and cassettes, knowing she’d need the distractions. “Here you are.”

Turning around, she found Dale at the entrance of her tent, holding small shoulder bag out to her. “It’s not much, but it’ll keep you going for the day. I packed two canisters of water, one for you and one for the horse.”

“Thank you, Dale,” She accepted the bag happily, shooting him a smile. “Can I ask another favour? Don’t tell anyone I’m heading out, not unless it’s really important or it’s nearing night and I’m not back. I really need a break.”

“Believe me, I understand more than anybody.” He laughed, moving out of the way so that she could slide past him and back over to Dusty, hanging the rucksack from a hook on his saddle, dropping Dale’s shoulder bag inside. “Enjoy yourself.”

“Thanks, I will.” She pulled herself up onto the horse, giving him a wave before nudging Dusty into walk. 

Waiting until she was a good few feet away from camp, she kicked Dusty’s side a little harder to give him the signal to pick up into gallop. By the time she was passing Daryl’s camp, she was in full canter, her hair flying in the wind behind her.

Daryl frowned, hearing the thunder or a horse’s hooves outside his tent. Standing up, he ducked his head out, shaking his head when he saw the green-haired figure of Rosalina riding around his camp in circles on the back of a tall horse, a smirk on her face. “Sorry, did I wake you?”

“What’re you doing?” He called out, watching her pull the horse to a steady stop, patting its neck affectionately. 

“Going out for the day,” She answered, looking over to him. “I just stopped by to ask a favour; don’t let anyone follow me. If I’m needed, come find me, I’m just gonna follow along the creek until I find somewhere to relax. Otherwise, I need some peace and quiet.”

“You’re going out on your own?” He asked, concerned, furrowing his brow. “Are ya crazy?”

“A little,” Rosalina shrugged, breaking their eye contact to look down at Dusty, pulling on his reigns lightly as he began to walk again. “I’ll be fine, Dusty is trustworthy, and if anything happens he’ll come running out here on his own on his way home. That happens, come find me, cause I might be dead. Ciao!”

“Rose!” Daryl yelled, running out after her when she suddenly spurred the horse onwards, racing towards the trees. “Rose!”

She turned around to smirk, facing where she was going and pushing Dusty to go faster, disappearing into a small pathway between the trees. Now out of sight, and therefore reach, of Daryl, she pulled him back into a walk. “You’re such a good boy, yes you are! When we stop, you can have as much water as you want, and I’ll see what Dale packed for us to eat.”

They rode deeper into the forest, Rosalina quickly finding her way to the creek, following it as a marking point for where they were going. Around her, the trees rustled, but not in the threatening way that Rosalina had become accustomed too when she was on the look out for walkers. It was relaxing, hearing birds chirp and fly overhead, having avoided being hunted or eaten by the dead and living alike. 

“See, it’s nice to be out here, isn’t it Dusty?” Rosalina rambled aloud, although her voice was unusually quiet, surprised by how much she was enjoying the atmospheric sounds of nature around her. “Come on, this looks like a nice place to stop.”

She pulled him to a halt at the edge of a tall, rocky hill, peering over the edge to see the creek at the bottom of a deep gorge. “This’ll do perfectly.”

Sliding off his back, she tied his reigns around the trunk of the nearest tree, opening up her rucksack and delving into Dale’s provided bag of goodies. She was pleased to find he’d packed a few carrots for Dusty, quickly feeding him one as a thank you for bringing her out this far into the forest safely. She chuckled at his loud chomping, tipping some water into his mouth from the canister before setting the bag back into her rucksack, pulling out a book, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, and dropping down against the tree.

She jumped in surprise when Dusty folded his legs up underneath him, sitting down with a contented neigh. Giggling, she leaned over, stroking his nose. “You really are a funny horse.”

Returning to her reading, she relaxed into the quiet setting, letting her head lean back against the tree and her book fall flat against her chest, eyes closing peacefully.

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Rosalina awoke gradually. First, she became aware of a scratching noise against the tree next to her, but blocked it out, allowing herself to drift back off freely.

Then, she felt something soft brush against the uncovered sliver of skin on show between her sock and jeans. She turned over onto her other side, certain it would be a mouse or something.

Finally, the feeling of a weight being pressed against chest awoke her properly, her eyes fluttering open to come face to face with bright green eyes. “Oh my gods.”

Staring down, immobile, Rosalina felt a grin spread across her face. Because, curling against her chest, was a surprisingly big tabby cat, its tail swishing up and down against her stomach. “You are the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

She didn’t dare to move, watching the cat get itself comfortable against her. She took note of the red leather collar around its neck, gently twisting it around to read the engraved writing on the small circle of silver attached. The cat didn’t seem to mind, purring away as Rosalina moved her other free hand to stroke it’s soft fur.

“Chess Meyer of Branbury Farm,” She read, releasing his collar and rubbing his head, giggling again when he pushed up against her hand. “I’m sorry, little fella, but I don’t think you’d want to go back to your farm. Still, you’ve survived for a while on your own, huh?”

As if in reply, the cat stood up, pushing itself into Rosalina’s face. She shook her head with a laugh, turning over so that she was sat flat on the ground, allowing the cat to clamber up onto her lap, curling into a tight ball. He certainly didn’t look as though he had been starving out here in the wild, tall enough to be mistaken for a small dog, and with enough of a tummy for Rosalina not to be worried he was going hungry. “You really are a friendly little thing.”

This was proven to how Chess reacted when Dusty perked his head up, nudging his nose towards the feline. The cat ignored him, nuzzling into Rosalina’s lap while he was inspected by her horse. After a while, Dusty grew bored, returning to how he was before. “Well, you’ve got Dusty’s approval then. Do you want something to eat? I’ve got squirrel, squirrel and squirrel?”

She gently dislodged him, apologetically scratching behind his ears to keep him in place. To her surprise, he rubbed himself along her legs as she stood up, following her over to where Dusty sat with her rucksack. Bringing out a carrot for Dusty, she also removed a slab of meat Dale had wrapped up in a piece of tissues for her, leaning down and setting it in front of Chess.

He dived for it eagerly, growling as he ate, much to Rosalina’s amusement. She turned away, feeding Dusty his carrot before removing an apple for herself, wolfing it down with the same enthusiasm as the two animals around her. “Well, aren’t we a trio to be seen?”

As she sat back down, this time resting her head against Dusty’s side, Chess immediately pounced into her lap again, nipping at her motionless fingers to encourage her to start fussing him again. She did as ordered, laughing to herself as he settled down immediately, content to have a stranger fuss him. 

Rosalina was happy enough to sit there in silence with only the cat’s soft purrs and Dusty’s deep breathing to be heard, allowing the minutes to tick by without a thought. But, slowly, she realised that the time she had given to be back was fast approaching, much to her distress.

As she stared down at the cat sat on her lap, she felt her heart break when she realised she was going to have to leave him behind. She doubted he’d follow her through the forest, and she couldn’t carry him if she was riding Dusty. But he was such a happy, friendly cat, she couldn’t heartlessly abandon him with little hope of survival.

“Hey,” She gently coaxed his head up, tickling her fingers under his chin. He looked up at her with wide green eyes, and Rosalina couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he could understand her. “Do you want to come back with me? We’ll look after you at camp. There’s milk there, and a lot more of that meat you enjoyed so much. I’ll take care of you, I promise.”

He blinked once, slowly, and Rosalina could only hope that was a yes in cat language. Slowly, careful not to frighten him, she wrapped her arm around him, using her other to support his lower half as she lifted him up like she used to with her friend’s cat whenever she used to watch them when Mary went on holiday. 

Chess didn’t seem to mind, much to Rosalina’s surprise, and he even nuzzled against her as she moved him towards the rucksack.

Cautious, she lifted the flap of the rucksack up, setting Chess inside. He blinked up at her, and Rosalina waited with bated breath for him to hop straight back out and run off. But, instead, he stood up and turned a full circle in the rucksack, using the food bag as a blanket against the books as he settled back down, curled into a ball happily. 

“You are the strangest cat I have ever met.” She murmured, standing herself up and untying Dusty’s reigns.

The horse seemed to understand it was time to go, raising himself back up onto his feet. Rosalina’s eyes darted to the rucksack, waiting for Chess’ head to perk up out the top before he took off running at the sudden movement. But, shocking her once more, he didn’t. 

Rosalina managed to pull herself up onto Dusty without knocking the bag, gently nudging him into walk and leading back the way they had come. Her eyes continuously slid down to the rucksack at her side, seeing movement from within, but Chess still stayed put. It was a relief, and as they broke through the last of the trees into the field, Rosalina felt certain the chances of him running now were slim to none. 

She approached Daryl’s camp, seeing him sat with his back to her in front of the fire, tossing logs on every now and then to keep it glowing. “Hey, Dixon.”

He spun around, and Rosalina could’ve sworn he breathed out relief seeing her back in one piece. “You’re not dead then?”

“No, I’m not dead,” She smiled, hand twitching down to pull her rucksack up and reveal the guest that sat inside. But, remembering this was Daryl and all he would see was another mouth to feed, she kept her mouth shut. “Hey, can I get one of those lovely looking squirrels for dinner? You did promise to bring one back for me that day you went off and got yourself stabbed by an arrow and shot by Andrea.”

He snorted, waving her off. “Be my guest. You know how to cook ‘em?”

“No, but Dale will. I’ll just give it to him,” She guided Dusty round to where Daryl had all his game hung up on a line, leaning over to pull one of the smaller squirrels off, hooking it onto the saddle with a disgusted expression. Her stomach had yet to grow any stronger, despite being shot and seeing herself stitched up multiple times. “You ever gonna come join us back at camp? It’s too quiet without your snoring.”

“Fuck off.” He called to her, prodding the fire with a stick, refusing to look over at her. 

Rosalina rose her eyebrows, shrugging. “Sorry I asked. Guess I’ll catch you later then?”

“Probably not,” He replied honestly, finally glancing up to see her figure on the horse. His eyes narrowed, seeing her rucksack suddenly move despite the horse being stood in place. “Did your bag just move-”

“I gotta go!” Rosalina suddenly announced, heart pounding as she turned Dusty in the direction of the main camp, pushing him into a quick walk, deciding anything faster would spook Chess. “See you later, Dixon!”

He watched her ride away, furrowing his brow, shaking his head as he looked back down at his growing fire. “Weirdest bitch I ever met.”

Rosalina practically flung herself of Dusty when she reached her tent, pulling her rucksack up off the hook and carrying it inside, one hand on the bottom of the bag and the other on the handle, making sure nobody saw her. Zipping up the tent entrance for the first time ever, she released Chess into his new home, chuckling in disbelief when he happily hopped out and immediately rubbed his head against her hand. “You are seriously one crazy cat.”

“Rose?” She was relieved to hear Carl’s voice call her, rather than one of the more responsible adults. “Can I come in, please?”

Standing up, Chess following her to the door, Rosalina unzipped a small gap in the tent so that she could poke her head out and talk to the confused Carl. “Heya, honey. You can come in, but I just gotta ask something first. Two things actually. One, how good are you at keeping secrets?”

“Very good.” He promised earnestly.

Rosalina smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that. Alright, question two-are you allergic to cats?”

Carl’s eyes grew wide, his mouth dropping open, the corners quirking up into a grin. “Do you have a cat in there?”

“Shh,” Rosalina hushed hurriedly, unzipping the entrance way for Carl to step inside, fastening it closed again before anyone could hear them. “Carl, meet Chess.” 

“He’s huge!” Carl exclaimed, happily fussing the tabby cat when he brushed up against him. Rosalina had been right, he really was a friendly cat. “Where did you find him?”

“I went out for a ride in the forest and fell asleep against a tree. When I woke up, he was curled against my chest, nipping at my fingers for a fuss.” Rosalina explained with an affectionate smile, kneeling down next to Carl to stroke Chess. 

“You’re keeping him, right?” Carl asked anxiously, looking up at the woman with pleading eyes.

Rosalina nodded immediately, scoffing as though the idea she wasn’t was ridiculous. “Of course I am, look at that face. How could I leave him in the forest all alone. But, if I’m going to keep him, I need to get the right people on board for him to be allowed to stay, understand? That means you can’t tell your dad, or Dale, and definitely not Shane. Let me talk to a few people first, and then I’ll ask your dad about keeping him.”

“Can I tell my mom?” Rosalina was unsurprised by his response, and seeing the gleaming grin on his face as he made a big fuss of Chess, her heart softened.

“Bring her over here to meet him, but don’t tell her straight away. Just say you have a surprise to show her in my tent, okay?” She didn’t need Carl blurting out in the middle of camp that she was harbouring a fugitive in the shape of a fluffy feline with a liking for squirrel. “I need to get Dusty back to the stables, so while I’m gone, you’re in charge of Chess. There’s some meat in that bag there that you can feed him, but don’t give him too much! Can I trust you to look after him?”

“Yes!” Carl replied, looking up at her determinedly. She smiled down at him, nodding.

Reaching in Dale’s bag, she withdrew the last of the carrots to feed to Dusty, exiting the tent and leaving Carl contently playing with Chess.

“Hey, boy.” She greeted Dusty with a smile, feeding him one carrot before they set off towards the stables, enjoying one final gallop across the field before Rosalina left him alone for the night. 

She was quick to strip him off the heavy equipment, feeding him the final two carrots and affectionately wrapping her arms around his neck in goodbye. “Night, Dusty, I’ll come see you in the morning.”

The walk back over to camp was a slow one, Rosalina trying her hardest to collect her thoughts. So, she now had a cat. In the midst of the apocalypse.

Rick wouldn’t be happy. There were already enough of them to feed without adding an animal to the equation. But, with Carl and soon enough Lori on board, she was confident she’d be able to turn him over to her side. If she also approached Carol later, and potentially Maggie and Glenn, there would be enough voices to speak on her and Chess’ behalf.

Because, in the short few hours Rosalina had known him, she’d grown protective over Chess-it was hard not too. And if Shane or Rick or anyone else thought that they could take him away from her, they had another thing coming. 

Rosalina had a soft spot for animals. It showed through with her reaction to Dusty, and how she’d already adopted him as her own horse despite only having ridden him twice. And now the same thing had happened with Chess, and it would be hard for her to overcome the bond she felt they had formed.

“-and Rose said his name is Chess, and she’s going to talk to dad about keeping him!” Rosalina could hear Carl’s excited voice before she was even within five feet of the camp, speeding up to see a gap in the tent entrance that hadn’t been there when she left.

Pulling the zip down, she found a smiling Lori sat with Chess on her lap, making happy cooing noises to the cat while Carl stroked the fur along his back. Hearing her enter, the mother and son turned to look at her, equally bright smiles on their faces. “Rose, he’s lovely!”

“Thanks,” Rosalina grinned at Lori’s compliment, seeing that she had another ally on the side of keeping Chess. “So, what do you think, will Rick let me keep him?”

“He has too!” She was reminded of Carl in the enthusiastic was Lori spoke, drawing a laugh from the younger woman. “He’s so sweet and placid! Besides, he only needs a few scraps of food from dinner anyway, he must be a good hunter himself as he’s survived so long. I don’t see any reason he shouldn’t be allowed to stay.”

“Thank god,” Rosalina breathed out, sinking down onto the ground, Chess plodding over to her immediately, brushing against her finger tips. “Because there’s no way I could abandon him now!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit, thank you guys so much?! I'm so happy with your reactions to this story, and I hope its keeping up to your standard the more chapters I publish. Thank you again!(are you all sick of me saying that yet?)
> 
> So, I'm rather shamelessly shouting out my friend's instagram. She's been complaining that she never talks to anyone, so add her up, she's super cool and into loads of bands and fandoms so message her if you feel like talking to someone new: @scarliecb007.
> 
> That's all my promoting done for today. Thank you for reading! xoxo


	13. Don't swear around the cat!

By the time the next morning rolled around, most of the group knew about Chess’ appearance in Rosalina’s tent, and all who knew had been charmed by the friendly tabby cat. Lori had quietly brought Carol and Andrea(much to Rosalina’s distaste), and they had both spent a solid half hour fussing and cooing over him.

Andrea later approached Rosalina, asking if she’d be comfortable introducing Chess to Dale and T-Dog. The formality and secrecy of the whole plan didn’t fail to humour Rosalina, and her amusement only grew when she saw the tall, towering T-Dog cuddling Chess happily, whispering quiet murmurs of adoration to the animal. Dale too had been impressed by how sociable Chess was, and was satisfied that he would be a perfect addition to their group.

During the early hours of the morning, Rosalina had took Chess over to the main house, getting him acquainted with Maggie, Hershel, Glenn, Jimmy and Patricia. Maggie and Patricia had both doted over him, fetching a saucer of milk while he jumped between Glenn and Hershel’s laps, Jimmy following him eagerly, grinning as the cat chased after a piece of rope he forgot was hanging out of his back pocket. 

Rosalina was quick to slip back to camp, however, Chess in her bag. She didn’t want to leave him in plain view for Shane or Daryl to shoot for dinner if they caught him prowling the fields, instead setting him up with another bowl of milk from the Greene’s, and a dish of squirrel and chicken from the rest of the group. 

At breakfast, it was amusing to watch those who know share secret smiles over the heads of Shane, Rick and Daryl, who had decided to join them for one meal only. 

Rosalina was approached by a straight-faced T-Dog, who subtly dropped his scrap food on her empty plate, murmuring as he continued passed, “For the little guy.”

She nodded to him, casting an innocent smile over to Daryl when he stared hard at her, clearly confused at the exchange he had just witnessed. “Is there something on my face?”

He grunted, sitting back in his chair with a shake of his head, clearly deciding it wasn’t worth his time.

Carol was the next to appear, holding a basket that only had two or three shirts inside, clearly hiding something else underneath it all. “Rose, I’ve got some ironing of yours, would you mind if I just dropped it in your tent?”

“Of course not, be my guest!” Rosalina agreed, flashing a charming grin, winking at the older woman.

Carol seemed to force back a laugh, and if any of the three men found it weird that she spent five minutes in Rosalina’s tent putting down three pieces of ironing, they didn’t comment.

“Rose, come get some more food. You never eat enough!” Dale called over to her, the slight raise of his eyebrows signifying the food wasn’t for her. 

She skipped over, taking the extra piece of meat happily. “Aw, thanks, Dale, this is really kind of you.”

As she walked back over to her chair at the edge of everyone, set up closest to her tent, Daryl called over to Dale, “Can I get seconds as well?”

“No, you’ve had enough.” Dale shot him down immediately, and Rosalina erupted into a fit of giggles at the sight of Daryl’s offended face. He shot a cutting glare at her, and she tried to settle down, but a few lone chuckles escaped her lips before she could force them back.

Annoyed, Daryl stood up, tossing his plate onto the ground and striding his way back to his own personal camp, shoving into Rosalina’s chair as he went. But she’d been expecting him this time, knowing it was the move he always used when she annoyed him, and jumped up out of the way before he hit her.

He shot her one last final glare over his shoulder before starting back across the field, kicking the ground and cursing as he went. 

Seeing that most of the group had finished eating, and would soon be disappearing to complete their individual tasks for the day, Rick stood up. “Shane and I are going to take Randall out later. We’re gonna drive him eighteen miles out, a blindfold over his eyes the entire time, and leave him. Then we’re washing our hands of the whole ordeal. Is that alright with everybody?”

There was scattered murmurs of ‘yes’ and a few nods, Rick taking this as good enough to sit back down, Lori at his side and Carl on the floor at his feet. 

Carl’s eyes kept flittering up to Rosalina and then over to the tent, silently asking her when he could see Chess again. She nudged her head in the direction of his dad, mouthing ‘soon’ to tell him that when Shane and Rick left, she’d release Chess into the camp to explore his new surroundings. She was confident he wouldn’t run off, having seen him pitter around the Greene house and come running back to her the moment she clicked her tongue and called his name. He was a well-trained cat, as well as a friendly one, and he’d taken a genuine liking to the young twenty-three year old.

Rosalina watched Rick and Shane say their goodbyes to the group, waiting until they had got in the car and were driving over to the shed Randall was locked in to jump up out of her chair, grinning around at the group who had all hung around waiting to see the cat again. “Well, folks, who says we introduce Chess to camp?”

“Yes!” Carl cheered, jumping in surprise when T-Dog whooped loudly next to him, almost as excited at the twelve year old. 

Laughing, Rosalina sauntered over to her tent, unzipping the tent door and grinning at Chess. “Come on, Chess, come see your new home properly.”

The cat hopped up over the tent barrier, sitting down outside the tent and observing the surrounding area. They way his eyes slid over the group was almost comical, and Lori couldn’t help but snort with laughter from where she was sat with Carl, Carol, Andrea and Dale both chuckling quietly.

Carl and T-Dog both kneeled down, coaxing Chess towards them. “Hey, come on, man, I’ve got food!”

“Come on, Chess!” Carl argued, shoving the larger man away, Rosalina clapping her hands in delight at the outraged glare T-Dog shot him.

But Chess ignored the both of them, instead trotting over to Rosalina’s plate of abandoned food, tucking in with a growl. “Well, he’s chosen his true owner-food!”

Andrea laughed, watching the cat with a smile. “Smart cat.”

Despite wanting to stay and watch the young tabby get acquainted with his surroundings, Lori stood up, running a hand through her hair as she looked at Rosalina. “I’m gonna head over to the house and see how Beth is doing. Are you coming with or do you want to watch Chess for a bit longer?”

“I’ll go over with you,” Rosalina lost her easy smile, grim determination settling in it’s place. “I took a night class in grief counselling so maybe I can be of use. Carl, T-Cat, I’m trusting you to watch over Chess. Don’t let him wander away too far, okay? And don’t over feed him! Last thing I need is to come back and he’s been sick on my pillow.”

Ignoring her new nickname for him, T-Dog waved her off, staring at Chess. “Yeah, yeah, we’ll be fine.”

She rolled her eyes, laughing with Lori as they began to make their way back over to the house. “I dropped some food off for her this morning, but if she’s eaten it is another matter.”

“What was she like when you saw her?” Running a hand through her quickly growing green hair, Rosalina twisted her head to watch Lori’s face.

“Cold,” Lori answered after a moment of consideration, creasing her forehead. “She seemed very detached from what was around her. From when I’ve spoke to her before, it was a big change.”

Rosalina sighed, shaking her head. “I kind of expected as much. The grief I’ve dealt with before was regarding guilt more than anything. With Beth, I don’t know how she’ll overcome this. With time I suppose? It’s what the rest of us have done. She’s just so young.”

Wrapping an arm around Rosalina’s comfortingly, Lori nudged her shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’m sure she’ll be fine. She’s a strong girl, she’ll pull through.”

“I know,” Rosalina smiled at the older woman, squeezing her arm. “Thanks.”

“No worries.” They entered the house, and Rosalina was immediately ambushed by an excitable Jimmy and Maggie.

“We found our old dog’s basket in the basement and though that maybe you could use it for Chess!” Jimmy exploded the second her foot was her the threshold of the door, Maggie holding in a basket in reasonably good condition, a few rips in the paw-patterned material but otherwise perfect. 

“Hey, this is perfect!” Rosalina grinned, taking the basket from Maggie’s hands, admiring it while Lori crept around them and up the stairs with a smile. “Why don’t you take it over to the camp? We let him out of my tent for the first time this morning so you can see him wandering around getting used to everything.”

“Awesome!” Jimmy grinned, and Maggie laughed as he dragged her out the door, grabbing the basket back from Rosalina to take it back over.

The girl chuckled, leaning out the door to yell. “Don’t scare him by getting too excited, he’s brave but too much attention might spook him!”

With that, she skipped up the stairs to Beth’s room, entering to find Lori kneeling down next to a crying Beth staring blankly at the window, the older woman murmuring comforting words. “Honey, I know how hard it is. I tried for days to reach my mom and get her on the phone. I can only assume-”

Beth cut her off, hissing out in-between sobs. “This is all so pointless.”

Making her presence known, Rosalina stepped forward, taking a seat on the bed as she asked. “What do you mean, Lovegood?”

Her head snapped to face her, her mouth opening to speak, but she shut up again abruptly. From her side, Lori started speaking. “Honey, you can’t mean that. You have Maggie, and Hershel and Patricia and Jimmy. I wish I could tell you that it’s all going to be good in the end. But all we can do currently is make it all right.”

During all of Lori’s speech, Beth maintained eye contact with Rosalina, finally turning to face Lori. “Thank you.”

Lori seemed to believe her gratitude was genuine, standing up straight and taking the untouched tray of food. “I’ll be right back, then we can go for that walk.”

“Okay.” Beth agreed, and Lori left. 

The blonde turned to look at Rosalina, seemingly waiting for her to leave also. But Rosalina narrowed her eyes, shaking her head. “What’s going on, Beth? I can tell you didn’t pay a single ounce of attention to what Lori was telling you. Why do you think it’s all pointless?”

“You wouldn’t understand.” Beth lay back against her bed, pulling the covers up to her shoulders. As she moved, Rosalina caught a flash of silver, and she scoffed. 

“You’d be surprised, I was a psychologist before the world went to shit,” She held her hand out expectantly. “Hence I know all the tricks prisoners would try to pull. Taking pencil sharpeners from my office, pens from the guards when they weren’t looking, plastic forks from dinner. So, I’m going to ask you nicely; give me the knife.”

Beth didn’t move, and Rosalina budged forward on the bed, leaning forward. “Look, I’m going to ask you again, and then I’m going to let Lori realise it’s gone and run to get your dad. Give me the knife, Lovegood.”

Silently, Beth withdrew her hand from under the covers, handing over the knife. Rosalina took it, murmuring quietly, “Thank you.”

Standing up, she left the room, meeting a panicked Lori on the stairs and handing her the knife. “I saw it when she moved. We need to get Hershel and Maggie, now.”

“Can you stay with her?” Lori asked, chewing on her lip.

“I’ll be fine, promise,” Rosalina calmly reassured her, already starting to edge back towards the bedroom door. “Just find her family.”

Walking into the room, Rosalina found Beth still lying in the same position as minutes before, blank eyes staring aimlessly at the wall. “You wanna have a conversation me or are you letting me do the talking?”

Her silence gave Rosalina the answer she needed, taking up a chair and pulling it to Beth’s bedside, kicking her legs up onto the mattress. Her usually kind expression that she took on with Beth was gone, replaced a steely exterior she hadn’t put into play since she’d been working in prisons in her home country. “So everything’s pointless? Really?”

Beth shuffled, pulling the covers up to cover her face. “Why? Come on, I’m asking and I’m listening. Explain it to me. Because you’ve seen someone you love die? I could understand why that would make you see things as pointless. Without those we love, everything seems pointless-”

“No,” Beth interrupted her. “You don’t get it. Everything is pointless no matter what.”

Leaning forward, swinging her feet down onto the floor, Rosalina concentrated hard on the girl’s form under the covers. “Why? What is it that has made you suddenly think the world is so pointless?”

There was a moment of silence, and then Beth spoke, her voice so quiet Rosalina almost didn’t hear it. “Everybody dies.”

Before she could reply, Maggie burst through the door, Lori hot on her heels behind her. “You want to kill yourself?”

“I think that’s my cue,” Rosalina stood up, nodding once to the fuming Maggie before leaving the room. “Hey.”

“Did she say anything?” Lori asked as they walked down the stairs, listening to Maggie’s shouting above them as they entered the kitchen. Andrea was stood leaning against the sink, and based on her grim expression, Rosalina could only assume Lori had filled her in on what was happening.

“Not a lot, but enough for me to be worried,” Lifting herself up onto the kitchen table, Rosalina folded her legs underneath her, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl next to her. “Apparently, everything is pointless and everybody dies. Now, she’s not wrong, but it’s a realisation that can’t be trusted around a sixteen year old girl in grieving.”

Lori exhaled sharply, Andrea shaking her head in disbelief. “Hey, where’s Hershel?”

“Maggie doesn’t want him to find out yet,” Lori answered, leaning back against the cupboards. “This is a family affair. We just gotta let them work this out.”

“This is working it out?” Andrea exclaimed, just as Beth released a particular angry yell above their heads.

Rosalina shrugged, “At least Beth’s arguing, hearing both sides. It’s when she’s sitting in silence ignoring the world that she’s at her most vulnerable, and that’s when we need to be most worried.”

Andrea didn’t seem to agree, crossing her arms over her chest. “This could’ve been handled better.”

“There’s always a better way to handle a situation,” Rosalina pointed out, hiding her irritation as best she could at the woman’s criticism. “Doesn’t mean you can. How would you have done it differently? I’m intrigued.” 

“I wouldn’t have taken the knife away,” Rosalina scoffed, turning to face her. “You were wrong. Like Dale taking my gun, that wasn’t his choice. She has to choose to live on her own. She has to find her own reasons.”

“What, you want us to tie a noose for her?” Lori snarked, defending Rosalina’s decision. She was grateful the mother was on her side.

“If she’s serious, she’ll figure out a way.” Andrea argued, and Rosalina rolled her eyes, jumping down onto the floor and spinning around to face her. 

“So, what?” She rose eyebrows. “We can’t try to offer her any guidance, try to stop her in case she makes a decision and instantly regrets it? What would’ve happened if I’d done as you said and let her keep the knife, and then she’d slashed her throat, only to realise a second too late that she doesn’t want to die? By taking away that knife, I minimised the chances of that happening, I gave her more time to really consider what she wants while equally showing her that people care what happens to her, and that we don’t want to lose her.”

“You’re treating her like a child.” Andrea disagreed, shaking her head.

“She’s sixteen!” Rosalina cried out, struggling to believe the woman’s stubbornness. “For gods sakes, when I was sixteen, if someone had handed me a loaded gun I would’ve taken it and fired it straight into my mouth without a second thought! But nobody did, and people were there for me, supported me, showed me that killing myself was a waste and I got better.”

“Yeah, and so did I.” Rosalina’s temper wasn’t the only one running high, Andrea stepping forward and getting into her face. 

From the side, Lori muttered out, loud enough so that she knew Andrea would hear her, “And became such a productive member of the group.”

Andrea rounded on her, cheeks flushing red. “Excuse me, I keep this group safe. I contribute.”

Lori stared her down, unafraid. “Rose and the men can handle protecting us.”

“Oh, so what would you have me do?” 

“There’s plenty of jobs going around.” Andrea gave a sarcastic laugh.

“Really?” She asked. “You’re in my face over skipping laundry?”

“From where I’m stood, it looks like you’re the one getting in people’s faces,” Rosalina interjected, drawing Andrea’s attention back to her. “And what I’m gathering from Lori isn't that she expects every woman to cook and clean, but everyone to pull their weight and help out. When Dale isn’t on watch, he helps with the cooking, and Daryl gathers all the food we eat to stay alive. Rick helps with the washing quite a lot, more so than me I’m ashamed to admit. Everyone pulls their weight where they can, whether that be protecting the group, cooking, cleaning, hunting or caring for Beth? The only thing I see you caring for is your right to bear arms.”

Lori nodded in agreement. “You just like sitting up on the roof of that RV, working on your tan with a shotgun on your lap.”

Andrea looked between them in disbelief, scoffing. “I am on watch against walkers! That is what matters, not fresh mint leaves in the lemonade!”

“We are providing stability,” Lori cut in, clearly taking offence at the way Andrea diminished the work the women in camp did. “We are trying to create a life worth living!”

“Are you kidding me?” Andrea laughed, shaking her head. 

“Look, I went after Rick, I took down two walkers-”

“After crashing Maggie’s car. You ever apologise for that?” Andrea’s cutting remarks were clearly getting under Lori’s skin, and Rosalina waited to see if she needed her to cut in.

But Lori fixed the blonde with a dead-pan look, shaking her head. “You’re insane.”

“No, you’re insane. And you’re the one that’s self-centred, the way you take it all for granted. Both of you!” 

“Excuse you!” Rosalina interrupted, gripping the table so hard her fingertips turned white. “I have lost everything! My country, my home, everything! I have no idea if anyone I loved is still live, and chances are I will never know! My baby brother could be dead or one of those walking, rotting bodies that you are always so fucking proud to shoot down! Lori, Carol and everyone else who have worked hard to make this camp to feel like a home are the ones keeping me from flipping my shit and joining Beth sat staring into space with a knife hidden under my pillow! So don’t you dare yell at her for trying to make people’s lives bearable, and never tell me I take anything for granted because I am alone and I will never forget that!”

Panting heavily, she stormed out of the room, shoving the table angrily as she went. She could hear Andrea and Lori continuing to argue behind her as she stormed away, but pushed them to the back of  her mind, focusing solely on calming herself down. 

Recollecting herself for a few minutes, she released one final, long breath before breaking out into the run. She tore through the field into the stable, finding Dusty where he was always stood. She saddled him up quickly, careful to be gentle around him, despite the nail marks left in the palms of her hands from clenching her fists too tightly.

“Come on boy,” She breathed out shakily, mounting him and nudging him on, barely out of the stable before she pushed him into a gallop. “Get me out of here.”

She knew exactly where she was leading him as his speed increased, flying past the main camp where she could hear Chess hanging out with Carl, T-Dog and Jimmy, not stopping despite hearing Carol call out to her. She raced on down to the end of the field, surprising a redneck as he sharpened arrows alone next to his tent. “What the hell are you doing?”

“About to have a panic attack,” She answered, feeling her throat starting to clog up as Dusty pulled to a complete stop, jumping off and standing staring at an open-mouthed Daryl with teary eyes. “I’m sorry, I just needed somewhere to calm down away from Andrea and everybody else, and I don’t trust myself in the forest right now.”

“It-it’s fine,” Daryl stuttered out, never having seen Rosalina like this before, gesturing to the space on the log next to him. “Sit down. If you want.”

“Thanks,” She nodded, walking across to the log and dropping down next to Daryl. She spread her legs, resting her elbows against her knees and leaning her head against her arms, breathing in and out slowly. “I’m sorry, I get these sometimes and it’s just hard to-”

“Don’t talk,” He murmured, noticing how when she tried to explain herself, her breathing picked up. “Just keep focusin’ on breathing, okay?”

She nodded in response, doing as ordered.

Daryl sat next to her silently, continuing to sharpen his arrows, waiting for a few minutes of hearing her breath steadily to ask, “When was the last time somethin’ like this happened?”

“The other day when I was looking after Beth. Once when I woke up after getting shot, but I fell asleep again before it could get too bad. I had a few full blown ones on that roof top in Atlanta. Had to handcuff myself to a door the once cause I wouldn’t stop pacing back and forth,” Her sentences were spoken quick and soft, without a pause between them. Seeing this, Daryl nudged her, a silent way of telling her to calm down. “Today was kind of unexpected. Andrea pushed me a step too far and I just kind of snapped. I needed to get away before I acted out.”

“Like you did with Shane?” He pressed. She nodded. “What did Andrea do to make you act out like that?”

But Rosalina shook her head, running hand through her hair. “I don’t want to talk about it. I only just pulled myself out of a panic attack, talking about it will send me back under. Can you talk about something else? Just random, anything you want.”

Wracking his brain, Daryl cursed himself when the first thing out of his mouth was, “Is something going on with you and the Asian kid?”

From sheer shock alone Rosalina was pulled out of her anxious frame of mind, staring up at the man as though he’d gone mad, eyes wide and her brow scrunched. “Are you joking?”

He shrugged, staring at the floor. “Something Lori and Jacqui were saying when we were at the CDC, had me wondering.”

“You’ve been thinking that Glenn and I were hooking up ever since the CDC?” She questioned, laughing loud in disbelief. “Daryl, do you have eyes? If so, then you clearly don’t use them. Glenn and Maggie have been hooking up since we settled on the farm. And I’m fairly certain he was a virgin before that so yeah, there was never anything going on between Glenn and I. Ever.”

Smirking, Daryl ducked his head. “You should probably tell Lori then, she thought you slept with him cause you were wearing his shirt when you walked into the kitchen that morning.”

Spluttering, Rosalina rushed to explain herself, wanting to make it very clear she had never slept with the guy she considered to be one of her best friends. “He threw it at me when I walked into his room cause I was still only in a towel! Oh my gods, the very idea of hooking up with Glenn is hysterical.”

“Why?” Daryl asked, hiding his relief with amusement.

“Because, it’s Glenn!” This seemed to be the only answer Rosalina could come up with, a grin breaking out onto her face from the sheer hilarity of it all. “I’d be more interested in hooking up with Maggie than Glenn, christ! He’d probably make video game references the whole time, rambling to try and fill the silence!”

The thought made Daryl snort, easily able to picture it. But something Rosalina had said stuck in his mind. “Maggie, huh? You swing that way?”

“No,” Rosalina shrugged, grateful that she could feel the panic quickly subsiding. “I’m just not blind and can see when someone’s hot.”

Daryl grunted, nodding in response, allowing the conversation to lapse into silence. That was, until, Rosalina nudged him gently with her shoulder. “Thanks for calming me down. You managed to do it quicker than I ever have.”

“Yeah, well, can’t have you taking off into the forest and throwing yourself into the creek in a panic. We need you around here.” He told her gruffly, putting his focus on sharpening his arrows again, pretending as though he hadn’t given her a compliment.

Rosalina smiled, biting down on her lip. “Thanks, Daryl, that means a lot to me. So much so, in fact, I think it’s time you met a new addition to our group.”

“Huh?” Daryl questioned, confused when she stood up, bounding over to her horse.

She spun back around, hair whipping in the wind, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “Come on, I don’t have all day. Do you want to meet him or not?”

“Him?” Daryl repeated, brow furrowed as he stood up and wandered over to Rosalina as she pulled herself up onto Dusty, extending a hand to pull him up. He accepted, settling on the back of the saddle, his legs on either side fo Rosalina’s waist. He tried to ignore their position, thinking very hard about walkers and dead squirrels.

“Lets go Dusty,” Spurring Dusty straight into gallop, Rosalina laughed when Daryl’s hands suddenly shot forward, grabbing ahold of her hips to keep himself on the horse, cursing furiously. “Oops, sorry!”

She could almost feel his glare on the back of her head, but ignored it, pulling them up to a stop at the main camp. Daryl hopped off first, reaching up to put his hands on either side of her waits, lifting her down and gently setting her on the ground in front of him. She grinned up at him, their chests almost touching as she said, “Come meet Chess. Boys? Where’s our new group member?”

Carl’s head popped out from Rosalina’s tent, a grin on his face. “We were just setting him up in his new bed that Jimmy brought over!”

“Awesome!” Rosalina grinned, grabbing Daryl’s hand and started to pull him over, ignoring his confused questions.

“He’s sharing your tent?” He demanded, failing to hide the anger in his voice. “And who the hell is ‘he’?”

“Calm down, Dixon,” Rosalina ordered, coming to a stop in front of the tent. “Now, come meet Chess.”

She pulled him down into the tent where Jimmy, Carl and T-Dog were all sat crossed legged around Chess. Daryl gaped, staring wide eyed at the furry, four-legged feline sat purring in a basket in front of him. “You got a cat?”

“Yep,” She replied, popping the ‘p’. “Daryl Dixon, meet Chess Jones, our new group member and mascot. He’s friendly, obedient, and can hunt for his own dinner when necessary. Isn’t he perfect!”

Daryl watched Rosalina kneel down between Carl and Jimmy, happily fussing the head of Chess, turning back to smile at him. “Well, come on! You can’t stroke him from there!”

“What-” Daryl was cut off when Rosalina’s hand reached up, pulling him down onto his knees in front of the purring cat. Seeing the encouraging gazes from around the tent, he tentatively reached forward, barely grazing his hand over the cat’s fur.

Neither Rosalina nor the cat seemed impressed, Chess pushing his head up into Daryl’s hand, Rosalina reaching out and setting her hand on top of Daryl’s. She gently pressed it down, guiding him down along Chess’ back, not paying attention to T-Dog when he silently ushered Jimmy and Carl out of the room, winking at her as he went. “See? He’s really friendly.”

To prove his owner’s point, Chess stood up in his basket, stretching his back before wandering over to where Daryl and Rosalina were sat. He nudged his head up against Daryl’s legs, and Rosalina couldn’t help but laugh at the man’s panicked expression. “Calm down, love, it just means he likes you. Give him a stroke, he won’t bite.”

Carefully, Daryl did as ordered, a smile creeping onto his face when Chess responded positively to his attention. “You’re a funny thing, ain’t ya?”

“Do you like him?” Rosalina asked eagerly, encouraged by Daryl’s gentle actions. “Please say you do, cause if even you’re on side, there’s no way Rick will make me take him back to the forest.”

“Is that what was moving in your bag when you came back yesterday?” Daryl asked, looking up at her with a grin. “This little guy?”

“He’s not exactly little,” Rosalina snorted, gently poking the side of Chess’ stomach. He gave her an indigent look, nuzzling into Daryl, making them both chuckle. “But yeah. He came up to me while I was sleeping, gave me a right scare. I didn’t want to leave him out there all on his own, so I rode back with him in my bag. I’ve been introducing him to the group since last night, and everybody’s fallen in love with him so far. I’m hoping that means Rick will let me keep him. How could he not?”

“Why would he say no? If he can fend for himself and get his own food, I don’t see why he’s gotta go back.” Daryl shrugged, pulling back when the cat suddenly nipped at his fingers, not happy with the lack of attention he was being given. “Oi!”

“Sorry!” Rosalina apologised, but she was smiling. Reaching out, she picked Chess up, lifting him up in front of her face. “Hey, no biting! We need Daryl to like you, okay? Good boy.”

She pulled him against her chest, and Daryl was surprised by how content that cat was to be man-handled, even if it was gently done, by the woman. “He really likes you.”

“I know, it’s weird,” She pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Chess’ forehead, and Daryl found his eyes caught on her lips as she sat back up, the cat still in her arms. “I think it’s cause I’m the first person to show him affection since he had to leave his original owners. I’m happy though, I’ve missed being around cats. We had a dog when I was growing up, and he was lovely, but I just find cats are easier to live with.”

“Wouldn’t know, I’ve never had either,” Daryl shrugged, running a finger down Chess’ head, hyper aware of how close he was leaning to Rosalina to fuss the cat in her arms. “Dad didn’t like ‘em and Merle reckoned he was allergic to both.”

“That’s a shame,” Rosalina’s shoulders drooped in sympathy, perking back up with a sudden smile. “You can share Chess with me, if you want? He can be Chess Jones-Dixon.”

Daryl chuckled, meeting the cat’s eyes. “What’d you think, little guy? Wanna join the Dixons? We’re a fucked up lot.”

“So are the Jones’, so he’s screwed either way,” Rosalina joked, gently setting the cat back down on his feet, watching him settle himself comfortably between the pair’s legs. “Also, watch your language around Chess! He’s impressionable!”

Daryl stared at her wide eyed, clearly trying to figure out whether she was joking. “He’s a cat!”

She rolled her eyes, serious expression breaking out into a smile. “Wow, you’re really easy to wind up.”

“Shut up.” He murmured, but there was a smile on his face.

They sat in silence, playing with the affectionate, not so little tabby cat, a few muttered remarks being made and a few slaps being thrown on Rosalina’s half, content for now in their own little bubble(unaware that T-Dog, Carol and Dale were all sat around the fire a few feet away, well within ear-shot and smirking at everything they heard).


	14. Manipulative bitch and biceps make a good team

“Ouch.” Rosalina winced, eyes fluttering open, feeling a pain running all through her back from an uncomfortable night’s sleep. 

Sitting up, she frowned, seeing a pair of legs lying next to her own. She didn’t need to follow them up to know who was lying next to her, her heart starting in surprise at their positions, his hand lying dangerously close to the exposed skin of her hip.

“Hey,” She gave Daryl a light shove, edging over to the other side of the tent before he woke up, setting some distance between them. “Daryl! Come on, get up!”

“Huh?” He grunted, sitting up groggily, eyes squinting in the sudden light. “Where are we?”

“We fell asleep on the floor of my tent,” Rosalina informed him, forcing herself to stand up and stretching her arms up over her head, letting out a sigh of relief as some of the tension in her neck was released. “Wow, maybe I’m getting old, but it’s suddenly a lot harder to sleep on the floor.”

“What time is it?” Daryl asked, leaning back on his elbows, looking up at Rosalina as she poked her head out of the tent door. 

Pulling back, she shrugged. “I’m not sure. It can’t be that early, because it looks like they only just had breakfast. Come on, lets go see if they made us up a plate.”

“Give me a sec.” Daryl said, dropping back down on the ground, still not completely awake. 

Rosalina groaned, rolling her eyes. Bending down, she gave him a shove, grabbing one hand and standing, trying to physically pull him up. “Come on, I’m hungry and I don’t trust you alone in my tent. Get up!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” He pulled his arm out of her grasp with ease, letting out a sigh with his eyes still closed before finally standing up, edging around Rosalina and exiting the tent, turning back with his eyebrows raised as he stood on the grass. “Happy?”

“Very,” She smirked, following him outside, turning back to coax the sleeping cat in the corner of the tent. “Come on, Chess. Breakfast time.”

She clicked her tongue, watching his ears perk up and his eyes lazily open. Seeing her stood with Daryl at the tent door, he hopped up, following them outside. Daryl shook his head looking down in disbelief at the cat that happily followed them over to the ‘dining’ area of camp. “He’s more like a dog than a cat.”

“No, he’s just a very good cat,” Rosalina disagreed, jogging over to the RV and sticking her head round the door, seeing Dale sat with his head in his hands. “Hey, Dale, is there any breakfast left over? Dixon and I slept in.”

Dale looked up, and Rosalina was concerned by his tired eyes. “Is everything okay?”

“Rick and Shane came back late last night,” He started, realising now that she and Daryl had both missed all the action. “They brought Randall back with them. He knows Maggie, and he knows the farm.”

Rosalina’s eyes widened, a hand covering her mouth. “Oh shit.”

“I thought you told me not to swear around the cat,” Daryl taunted, walking over and leaning his head around the door of the RV. Seeing the grim expressions, he asked, “What’s goin’ on?”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rosalina watched Daryl land punch after punch onto Randall’s bloodied and swollen face, pretending to flinch away at every hit, letting out a whimper when he caught the boy’s cheekbone.

They’d been sent in by Rick to find out what he knew, using the same technique from before in Atlanta when they needed information out of Miguel. Daryl was, of course, playing the big bad guy while Rosalina acted as the kind one who only wanted the best for ‘poor’ Randall.

In reality, while she faked being sickened by Daryl’s actions, she couldn’t help but bite down on her lip, seeing the blood dripping on Daryl’s knuckles, where bruises would no doubt be forming by tomorrow. If she was being honest with herself, seeing Daryl acting like this was ridiculously hot.

“Come on, man,” Randall cried out, whimpering in pain when Daryl hit him with an especially hard punch. “I told you!”

“You ain’t told me shit!” Daryl snarled, roughly grabbing Randall by his shirt, forcing him upright and knocking his head back against the wooden wall behind him. 

Taking this as her cue to step in, Rosalina rushed forward, her small hands clutching Daryl’s arm, pulling him back(using it as more of an excuse to feel his muscles than anything). “Stop! You’re hurting him!”

“That's the point,” Daryl hissed, but when his face was hidden from Randall’s view, he winked, and Rosalina let a smile ghost her lips briefly, warmth rushing through her. She silently prayed her cheeks remained their regular colour. “We’re here for information and he ain’t given us jack shit yet!”

“Well, give him chance!” Rosalina cried out, forcing Daryl back, kneeling down next to Randall. She gently cupped his swollen face, seeing his relief as he turned to face her. “I’m sorry, but there’s no way I’m going to be able to talk him down if you don’t give us something. Just tell us how many of you there are, please.”

Randall panted heavily, clearly in agony from all of the bruises and cuts Daryl had inflicted on him. But Rosalina saw his eyes trail down her body, and there was something deeply disturbing about the way he tried to hide it immediately after. Not in the way where he was embarrassed, but just in a way he didn’t want her to notice. It reminded her of the sexual offenders she’d worked with in the past, and she was forced to hold back from throwing a punch herself. “I barely knew those guys! I swear!”

Daryl pushed Rosalina back, careful not to be too forceful, simply sending her backwards onto the ground. “She asked how many were in your group!”

He kicked him in the ribs this time, and Rosalina released a quiet whimper when she heard a crunch. Randall himself screamed out in pain, and grasped at Rosalina when she hurriedly scrambled towards him, putting her body between his and Daryl’s. “Make him stop, please!”

“Just give us a number, please,” She begged hurriedly, yanking her shoulder away when Daryl tried to pull her. “How many are in your group?”

“Thirty guys, maybe more!” Randall finally answered in a rush, and Rosalina felt her heart beat quicken. 

“Where?” Daryl snarled, pacing back and forth behind where Rosalina kneeled. “Where!”

“Please, make him stop,” Randall sobbed to Rosalina, clutching at her hands. “I don’t know, I swear to you I don’t know!”

Again, Daryl pushed her out of the way, withdrawing his knife and digging it into the wound on Randall’s leg while Rosalina faked gagging in the corner. Randall screamed. “Please, I don’t know! We never stayed anywhere more than one night!”

“Scouting? Planning to stay local?” Daryl continued to dig the knife in, and Rosalina briefly found herself wondering whether she needed to seek professional help for how turned on she was in that moment-then she remember she was the professional help and almost laughed aloud.

“I-I don’t know,” Randall managed to cry out through the pain. “They left me behind!”

Deciding to kick it up a notch, Daryl started to trace around Randall’s cut with his knife, increasing pressure the further along he got. “Ever pick off a scab?”

“Stop, he’s trying to cooperate!” Rosalina called over, and Daryl had to admit he was impressed by how well she played her role. “Leave him alone!”

Ignoring her, Daryl dug deeper, Randall convulsing in pain under his torture. “You start real slow, at first. Then later you just gotta rip it off!”

Spluttering, Randall finally started to give them there real details they needed. “Okay, okay. They, they have weapons-heavy stuff. Automatics. But I didn’t do anything!”

“Your boys shot at my boys, tried to take this farm. You just went along for the ride. You just trying to tell me you were innocent?” Daryl hissed, pressing his knife in deep, forcing a choked sob from the boy. 

Rosalina seized the opportunity, pushing forward and knocking the knife from Daryl’s hands, forcing him back. They had a momentary stare-off, Rosalina’s back to Randall, and she dared to poke her tongue out at Daryl tauntingly.

He scoffed, biting back a smirk as she knelt down in front of Randall. She looked him deep in his eyes, a tremor in her voice when she spoke, “Randall, please. He’ll stop when we know what we need to know, so just tell us.”

He sobbed, stuttering and stammering as he tried to explain, clearly falling for the pleading look in Rosalina’s eyes, and the fury in Daryl’s snarl. “They took me in! Not just guys, a-a whole group of ‘em, men and women. Uh, kids, too, just like you people! I thought I’d have a better chance with them, you know? But we go out and scavenge-just the men. One night we...we found this little campsite. A man and his two daughters. Teenagers, you know? Real young, real cute.”

His words sent a white hot anger rushing through her veins, forcing herself to hold it back like she’d had to do all the years working in prisons. She could sense Daryl close at her back, and she wasn’t so sure he’d be able to keep his temper if Randall continued where she thought his story was going. “The dad had to watch while these guys, they...and they didn’t even kill ‘em afterwards! They just, they just made him watch. His daughters, and, just-just left them there.”

Rosalina felt the tight, familiar grip of Daryl’s hands on her shoulders, yanking her up and pulling her out of Randall’s line of sight, hiding her behind him. She didn’t say a word, her lips pressed tightly together and her fists clenched as Randall rushed to defend himself. “But I, I swear, I didn’t! I ain’t touched-”

Daryl’s first kick was to his stomach, making him choke, coughing harshly. “Daryl, be-”

“Shut up, Rose!” He yelled, and when he turned around, Rosalina could tell he wasn’t just doing what Rick had told him too anymore. Randall had made him picture those poor teenage girls, and Daryl was substituting them for every woman in their group, including her-Randall had made this personal now.

She stopped, nodding to him, stepping back and allowing him to continue to beat Randall to a pulp, ignoring his cries for her to help him. 

Finally, when Randall was near enough unconscious from the trauma his body had been put through, Rosalina grabbed Daryl’s hand, dragging his gaze down to her eyes. His hot breaths fanned her face, dark brown eyes meeting wide green ones. “I know why you're doing this, but you’ve gotta stop. You’re gonna kill him.”

Daryl’s chest heaved up and down, staring down at Rosalina, clearly trying his hardest to calm down. She squeezed his hand, keeping his attention on her and away from Randall on the floor. “Come on, lets get back to camp.”

He allowed her to lead him out of the shed, watching her slam the doors closed behind her. She pressed her back up against the door, dropping her head so that her hair fanned out in front of her face. “I could’ve fucking killed him.”

Daryl was happy to see her drop the innocent, sympathetic act. “That son of a bitch! I swear, if any of his group even dare come near us-”

“They won’t,” Rosalina stopped him mid-rage, looking up at him determinedly, her expression tight with anger. “They’re never going to find us. I won’t let them. Come on, we need to get back to Rick.”

They walked in silence across the field, arms occasionally brushing as they kept close together. Reaching the camp, the found everyone already gathered, watching them, waiting. Lori sat with Chess on her lap. 

“Your boy in there’s got a gang-thirty men,” Daryl informed them, facing Rick. “They got heavy artillery and they ain’t looking to make friends.”

“We don’t want them rolling through here,” Rosalina shook her head, fighting back a shiver as she recalled how Randall had looked her up and down in the barn. “I’ll be blunt, and tell you if his gang find us, the men are dead, and the women will wish they were. You should’ve seen the way he looked at me, like I was piece of meat to be used at his disposal. I’ve seen that look in rapists before.”

Her blatant use of the word ‘rapist’ seemed to shock the group, and Rosalina could easily see how the women naturally just curled in closer on themselves at the threat. The word was one that had an effect on them all, but while the men’s seemed to be anger, the women’s was mixed with fury and fear. It infuriated her. 

Seeming to sense her anger starting to rise, Daryl reached out, pressing a gently touch to her lower back. She breathed in deeply, focusing on his touch and not her emotions. “What did you do?”

Dale seemed to have noticed Daryl’s bloody knuckles. “We had a little chat.”

Rosalina reached her hand over, leading him over to her usual chair, sitting him down and starting to clean up his knuckles with Dale’s first aid kit while Rick warned them all, “No one is to go near this guy!”

“Rick, what are you going to do?” Lori asked, just as Daryl winced when Rosalina pressed an alcohol infused wipe against his bloodied fist.

“Pussy.” She muttered, looking up at him with a smirk, laughing quietly at his playful glower.

In the background, she heard Rick say, “He’s a threat. We have to eliminate the threat.”

“You’re just gonna kill him?” Dale exclaimed, clearly disgusted.

“It’s settled,” Rick told him firmly. “We’ll do it today.”

Ignoring everyone as they walked away, sobered by the realisation they were going to kill someone today, Rosalina wrapped a bandage around Daryl’s hand. “You know, I probably could’ve got the information out of him without you going berserker?”

“I thought we were doing good cop/bad cop?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Rosalina scoffed, tilting her head as she looked up at him. “So did I, but instead you went Batman style on his ass. Not that I’m complaining. It was pretty hot.”

She regretted her words immediately, knowing Daryl was going to have a smirk on his face when she looked up. Sure enough, a smug expression had crossed his face, but his slightly widened eyes suggested he was also surprised. “You think I looked-”

The end of his sentence was lost when Carol approached, tapping Rosalina gently on the arm. “I just wanted to check if you were okay. You seemed a little shaken when you told us about the look he gave you in the barn.”

Smiling reassuringly, Rosalina nodded. “I admit, it was a surprise to see that sort of look coming from someone only a few years younger than me, but I’m fine. He doesn’t scare me, not when I know I’m safe out here around you guys.”

Carol nodded, squeezing her shoulder. “You’re perfectly safe here.”

“Then I’m not worried,” She stood up, turning to smirk at Daryl. “Hey, can you finish patching Bruce Wayne up for me? I’m going to ride Dusty round the field for an hour. Since I got here he’s started getting used to going out every day, and Maggie mentioned he’d been a little restless.”

“Of course, no problem,” Carol smiled, not seeming to realise that Rosalina was using her to escape an embarrassing situation. “Have fun!”

“I will, see ya later!” Winking at the glowering Daryl, she skipped away, making straight for the stables.

She repeated her usual routine of greeting Dusty and saddling him up, riding him head and kicking into gallop almost the minute the horse’s hooves hit the grass. Dusty didn’t seem to mind, pushing to go even faster, but Rosalina reigned him in, knowing that pushing too far too quickly would wear them both out.

They rode around uninterrupted for a solid hour, Rosalina proud to discover Dusty could easily clear small logs with her on his back. It was only when she saw Dale approaching Daryl’s private quarters that she brought Dusty down into a walk, guiding them over to where the old man stood with his gun over his shoulder.

“Carol’s not the only concerned about your new position within the group.” Was the first thing Rosalina heard from Dale. He had yet to notice her appearance, his back to her as he faced Daryl, who was working hard on stacking up stones around his tent-he hadn’t noticed her either.

“Oh, man, I don’t need my head shrunk,” Daryl informed him, barely paying attention. “This group’s broken. I’m better off fending for myself.”

Now that stung. Rosalina pushed Dusty forward, riding around next to Daryl’s tent, watching him turn around to look up at her, something close to regret on his face. “Really? The group’s broken?”

He stumbled, struggling to find something to say. Dale, for a moment, looked as though he would take pity on him. But then he decided to use Rosalina’s presence against Daryl. “You act like you don’t care.”

“Yeah, cause I,” Rosalina glared down at him, daring him to finish the sentence he started. “I don’t.”

“Ugh.” Rosalina scoffed, scrunching her face up as she looked down on him. She didn’t see his regret, or the way his fingers twitched when he said ‘I don’t’. She was too hurt to see any of that. 

“So, live or die, you don’t care what happens to Randall?” Dale pressed as Rosalina started Dusty in trot around the small camp site, listening closely to Daryl’s every word, her presence hanging over the two men like the grim reaper stalking a dying victim.

Daryl seemed to sense how her attention was focused on him, trying his best to mutter and mumble, not wanting her to hear what he had to say to get Dale to leave him alone. “Nope. I don’t give a damn.”

“Then why not stand with me, try to save the kid’s life, if it really doesn’t matter one way or another?” Dale tried to convince him, but Daryl scoffed, dropping his stones and standing up straight, his eyes following Rosalina as she rode her horse around. 

“I didn’t peg you for a desperate son of a bitch.” He said, seeing the hurt in Rosalina’s eyes and dropping his stare to the man in front of him.

“Your opinion makes a difference,” Dale ignored his snort of disbelief. “It’s true!”

“Man, ain’t nobody looking to me for nothing.” He denied, and Rosalina furrowed her brow, pulling Dusty to a stop.

The sudden silence made Daryl turn his head to the right to look at her, seeing her staring at him with a confused expression. “Is that what all this is about? You think you’re not a worthwhile member of the group? That you don’t matter to them?”

He shrugged her off, dropping her stare. He took his usual approach when confronted, replying angrily, “I said I ain’t getting my head shrinked, by you or him!”

Turning to Dale, he pointed over at Rosalina, who shifted uncomfortably under the attention. “If you want someone who’s opinion matters to the group, you ought to be trying to turn ‘er. She’s got everybody wrapped around her little finger.”

“But you have Rick’s ear!” Dale pressed, both of them pretending that Rosalina’s reproachful glare wasn’t centred on Daryl.

“Rick just looks to Shane or Rose. Let him.” Daryl turned his back, trying his hardest to ignore Rosalina’s, pretending he could feel the thumping of his heart against his chest. 

Dale wouldn’t give up, even when Daryl started to walk away. “You cared about what happened to Sophia, cared what it meant to the group. Torturing people? That isn’t you. You’re a decent man. So is Rick. Shane is different.”

“Dale,” Rosalina called out in warning, seeing Daryl tense at Sophia’s name, watching him turn around and begin advancing on Dale. “You shouldn’t have mentioned Sophia.”

Daryl continued to pretend Rosalina wasn’t there, just because it made everything he had to say easier for him, asking Dale in response to his comment about Shane, “Why is that? Cause he killed Otis?”

Riding closer, Rosalina jumped down from Dusty’s back, her eyes watching Daryl carefully for any signs of a lie while Dale questioned, “He told you that?”

“He told some story, how Otis covered him, and saved his ass. He showed up with a dead guy’s gun,” There was a darkness in Daryl’s expression as he revealed how observant he truly was to the group and it’s members, surprising Rosalina. “Rick ain’t stupid. He didn’t figure that out cause he didn’t wanna. It’s like I said, the group’s broken.”

He turned his back on the pair, sharing one last, long look with Rosalina before walking away. She cast an apologetic shrug to Dale, and he didn’t try to stop her as she ran after him-out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Dusty begin to walk after them.

“Daryl!” She called, almost tripping over her own feet as she hurried to keep up with him. “Damn it, slow the fuck down, I’ve got short legs!”

“Then stop following me.” He growled back, but Rosalina powered on, calling Dusty over to her and taking his reigns, walking him alongside her rather than jumping on his back.

“Do you really believe all the stuff you told Dale?” She called out as they reached the edge of the forest, Daryl pausing at the first tree. “About you not being important to the group, and me having everyone wrapped around my pinky?”

“Am I wrong?” He sat down, leaning against a tree, pulling on leg up to rest his arm against his knee. “I ain’t dumb, I know I ain’t nothing more than Rick’s muscle. But everybody likes you. You know just what to say and when to say it to get them to agree with everythin’ you say. I’ve seen you do it with Rick before.” 

“So what, I’m a manipulative bitch, we knew this,” Rosalina shrugged, rubbing Dusty’s neck when he started stepping back and forth impatiently. She kept her eyes on the horse, but was all too aware of Daryl’s stare on the side of her face. “Down, boy, we’ll go in a second. And you’re a lot more than the muscle, even if you do have the best biceps.”

He snorted, shaking his head, picking up a rock and skimming it across the ground. This response irritated Rosalina, turning to stare down at him in annoyance. “Daryl, you can’t really think you’re not of importance to the group. Dale approached you because he knows your worth in the group-you’re one of the inner circle. The people everybody turns to when shit gets tough and they need someone to bail them out. Of course, we have the leader Rick. Then we have me, the girl who tries to play as everyone’s friend but can snap like a viper on those who turn against her. Unfortunately, there’s Shane, who can be expected to start a fight wherever he wants. And then there’s you. Daryl Dixon, the person you turn to when you want shit done and done properly.”

Looking up, Daryl met Rosalina’s eyes, seeing her honesty. “You really think I’m part of this ‘inner circle’?”

“Of course,” She nodded, rolling her eyes when Dusty started to pull her arm. “Sorry, give me a second. Dusty! I said we can go in a moment, let me finish talking! Okay? Good boy.”

Daryl chuckled, seeing the horse pull to a stop, listening to Rosalina’s orders and braying happily when she brushed down his mane. “How come you’re so good with animals?”

“I’ve had practice being careful not to spook creatures. I worked with murderers for a living, last thing you want is for one to jump up and wrap their hands around your throat because you made the smallest of wrong moves,” She explained, groaning when Dusty pulled on his reigns again. “Look, Dust is getting restless. You mind finishing this deeply emotional conversation on the move?”

“Depends, do I have to ride on the back of that thing again?” Daryl asked warily, nodding his head to the horse.

Outraged, Rosalina glared at him, pulling herself up into the saddle so that she could claim the higher ground, literally. “He is a horse, thank you very much, not a thing! And stop being such a pussy, it’s fun. I won’t even push him out of trot if you’re that scared.”

“Not what I’m scared of,” Daryl muttered to himself, pushing up off the ground and striding over to the horse. Rosalina held out her hand, and they grasped one another’s wrists, pulling Daryl up behind her on the horse. “Just take it slow, alright? I had a big breakfast.”

“Neither of us had breakfast, dumbass,” She reminded him, ignoring the warm feeling that rushed through her when his arms wrapped around her waist for support. “Walk on, Dusty.”

As the horse began to move, Daryl’s grip grew tighter, and Rosalina almost laughed. “Alright, so I’ve got to ask; where do you stand on the Randall situation? I’m kinda interested to hear your approach.”

“I think he poses a risk to all of us, and I don’t want him ‘round you or any of the women in our group,” Daryl told her firmly, and Rosalina could’ve sworn he brushed his hand against her stomach, but the touch was too brief for her to be certain. “And if we let him go, he’s gonna bring his gang down on us all. We got one option and I think we gotta take it.”

“But what happens if we were wrong?” Rosalina murmured, leaning back in the saddle so that her back pressed against Daryl’s chest. “What if I imagined that look and it turns out we really are sentencing some poor lad to death for a crime he never committed?”

“I saw that look he gave you,” Daryl said, and this time Rosalina was certain that his arms tightened around her. “And I saw his face when he was talking about those two girls. He was no bystander to what his group did to them. He ain’t innocent, and if we let him, he’s gonna hurt someone else. And I ain’t about to let that be one of ours.”

Chest heaving, Rosalina nodded, biting her lip. “So we kill him? Make this whole thing go away?”

“We kill him. There ain’t no other choice.”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The group gathered in Hershel’s living room as the sun was slowly setting in the sky, casting a dim orange glow over everything. Jimmy and Carl had been ushered upstairs with Beth, leaving only the adults in the room.

Dale seemed to have centre stage at the front of the room, Rosalina opting instead to hide in the background next to Daryl, watching Rick as he stood in front of them, facing the rest of the group. 

“So, how do we do this? Take a vote?” Andrea asked, the first to speak out among the tense, grim crowd. “Does it have to be unanimous?”

“How about majority rules?” Lori suggested tiredly from where she stood in the doorway next to Rick.

Her husband shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Lets just see where everybody stands. Then we can talk through the options.”

“Well, the way I see it, there’s only one way to move forward.” Shane voiced loudly, and beside her, Daryl felt Rosalina tense up. 

His hand moved forward, brushing one finger down her wrist, giving her a warning sign to relax. She turned to face him, meeting his eyes and giving a nod, relaxing her shoulders and facing the rest of the group again. Daryl’s hand dropped back down to his side.

“Killing him, right?” Dale spat out angrily, seeing clearly where the majority of the group stood on the issue. “Then why even bother to vote? It’s clear which way the wind’s blowing.”

“Well, if people believe we should spare him, I wanna know.” Rick disagreed, and Rosalina had to admire him for how he was accepting his role a group leader. This was the toughest call he had had to make yet, and she doubted anybody else would’ve been able to calmly take it on the way he had. 

Dale shook his head, lips pursed. “Well, I can tell you it’s a small group. Maybe just me and Glenn.”

Rosalina watched as Glenn looked up at him slowly, his eyes watering and his expression dripping with guilt. “Look, I think you’re pretty much right about everything all the time, but this-”

Dale interrupted him, the realisation that he was standing alone hitting him hard. “They’ve got you scared!”

“He’s not one of us,” Glen argued, gesturing out to where the shed was in the field. “And we’ve lost so many...too many people already.”

Seeing he wouldn’t change Glenn’s mind, Dale turned on Maggie, who stood in the corner of the room with her father and Patricia. “How about you? Do you agree with this?”

Maggie inhaled sharply, turning her head to ask Rick, “Couldn’t we continue to keep him prisoner?”

“It’s just another mouth to feed.” Daryl said from beside Rosalina, leaning against the chest of drawers next to him.

“It might be a lean winter.” Hershel added grimly.

“We could ration better.” Lori suggested, and Dale quickly picked up on the argument seeming to sway in his favour.

“He could be an asset!” He insisted. “Give him a chance to prove himself!”

Glenn nodded. “We could put him to work?”

For the first time, Rosalina spoke up, “I wouldn’t be comfortable with him walking around freely. Not when I have to sleep and eat in the same quarters as him, constantly putting my trust in someone who may or may not be a rapist and a killer.”

“Then we could put an escort on him.” Maggie suggested, Daryl standing up straight and resting his hand on Rosalina’s lower back comfortingly, seeing how genuinely distressed she seemed by the idea of Randall walking around freely.

She leaned into his touch, her arm brushing against his side, pushed together as the argument continued. 

Shane scoffed. “And who wants to volunteer for that duty?”

“I will.” Dale agreed immediately, but Rick held up his hand to pause the discussion.

“I don’t think any of us should be walking around with the guy. Rose is right, we don’t know how dangerous he may or may not be.” He pointed out, and Rosalina was grateful that he wasn't being tempted by the idea of letting Randall walk around freely.

Lori spoke up. “I agree with Rose too. I wouldn’t feel safe unless he was tied up.”

“Well, we can’t exactly put chains around his ankles and sentence him to hard labour.” Andrea said, arms crossed over her chest.

From next to her, Shane spoke up again. “Look, say we let him join us, right? Maybe he’s helpful, maybe he’s nice. And we let our guard down. Then maybe he runs off and brings back his thirty men.”

At the mention of the gang, Daryl edged closer to Rosalina, and she allowed herself to press fully against his side-whether to reassure him or herself she wasn’t sure. “So the answer is to kill him to prevent a crime that he may never even attempt? If we do this, we’re saying there’s no more hope. Role of law is dead, there is no civilisation!”

Dale’s words impacted hard on the group, causing Hershel to ask, “Could you just drive him further out? Leave him like you planned?”

Shaking her head, Rosalina argued, “While that may seem like an ideal plan, it’s riddled with risks that we can’t afford to take. Rick and Shane almost didn’t make it back last time, and even if they did drive out and leave him, managing to get back to us safely, they could be leaving Randall to wander straight back into his own gang on their way out of town. Then they bring the shit storm back to us. We can’t risk the lives of our own people for a plan that could end badly anyway.”

Her explanation was logical, so much so that even Dale couldn’t find a way to argue with it. So, instead, Patricia brought them back to the original plan. “If you do go through with it, how would you do it? Would he suffer?”

“We could hang him right? Just snap his neck?” Shane’s suggestion reminded Rosalina of chickens being killed at a slaughter house, and she had to force herself not to flinch.

“I thought about that. Shooting may be more humane.” Rick said, shifting on his feet, staring a hole into the floor. 

“And, uh, what about the body?” T-Dog voiced.

Dale was quick to cut him off. “Hold on, hold on! You’re talking about this like it’s already decided.”

Rosalina felt Daryl move beside her, and his hand slid further around her back so that his arm was wrapped around her waist as he spoke, “We’ve been talking all day, goin’ around in circles. You just wanna go around in circles again?”

“This is a young man’s life!” Dale cried out in exasperation, Daryl’s fingers pressing tighter against Rosalina’s hip when his voice raised. “It is worth more than a five minute conversation! Is this what it’s come to? We kill someone because we can’t decide what else to do with him? Rick, you saved him! And now look at us. He’s been tortured! He’s gonna be executed! How are we any better than those people we’re so afraid of?”

Silence lingered in the air, nobody knowing how to respond to Dale’s hard, painfully honest truths. Finally, Shane spoke up. “We all know what’s needs to be done.”

“No, Dale is right,” Rick was quick to disagree. “We can’t leave any stone unturned here. We have a responsibility-”

“So what’s the other solution?” Andrea interjected. “We haven’t come up with a single viable option yet. I wish we could.”

“So let’s work on it!” Dale threw his hands up in the air, his eyes tired and weary. 

From where she’d been stood silently for so long, Carol cried out, “Stop it. Just, stop it. I’m sick of everybody arguing and fighting! I didn’t ask for this. You can’t ask us to decide something like this. Please decide, either of you, both of you, but leave me out of it.”

“Not speaking out or killing him yourself, there’s no difference.” Dale’s harsh words set Rick’s temper off the second he saw Carol’s face drop with hurt.

“Hey, stop it, that’s enough,” He ordered. “Anybody who wants the floor before we make a final decision has the chance now.”

Rosalina’s fingers twitched at her side. Normally, this was the point where she’d step up and make a speech about what was right, and how murdering the living couldn’t be tolerated. But her mind just kept flashing back to how Randall had looked at her, and it forced her to stand down. She didn’t agree with murder, but she didn’t agree with the raping of teenagers, or anyone, either.

The rest of the room seemed to be thinking along the same lines, and Dale desperately tried on last time to convince them, pointing to Rick, “You once said, we don’t kill the living. If we do this, the people that we were, the world we knew is dead! And this new world is ugly! It’s harsh. It’s survival of the fittest! And that’s a world I don’t want to live in. And I don’t believe that any of you do, I can't! Please, let’s just do what’s right.”

He looked around expectantly at the group, finding stoic expressions and downcast eyes. “Isn’t there anybody else that’s gonna stand with me?”

It seemed there was only one who would, Andrea nodding along. “He’s right. We should try to find another way.”

“Anybody else?” Rick asked, looking around at the group. Rosalina kept her gaze fixed on the floor, trying hard to keep the guilt at bay.

Hearing the radio silence, Dale asked angrily. “Are you all gonna watch, too? No, you’ll go and hide your heads in your tents and try to forget that we’re slaughtering a human being. I won’t be a party to it.”

He moved to a leave, coming to a stop at Rosalina and Daryl, leaning over the smaller woman to whisper, “This group is broken.”

They listened to him stomp out of the house, slamming the door behind him, leaving Shane to once again press the question, “So, how do we do it?”

An hour later, they had finally agreed on what was to be done. Rick, Shane, Rosalina and Daryl were all going to lead him to the barn to be shot. 

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Daryl asked her as Rick led the way to the shed, seeing the paleness of Rosalina’s skin and how her eyes were darting around the night air nervously.

“I spoke up in favour of killing him in there. I won’t be a coward and shy away from a decision I made.” She told him firmly, hiding her shaking hands.

He didn’t reply, seeing that they had reached the shed. Rick opened the doors, Shane and Daryl both entering and retrieving the panicking Randall from within. They walked on either side of his body, gripping his arms tight as he struggled, Rick leading the way once agains while Rosalina followed behind, a gun trained on the prisoner’s back in case he tried to escape. “Hey, guys, what’s going on? Please? Come on, I’m confused. What’s happening?”

Randall’s fear grew more intense when they reached the barn, whimpering as he was pushed inside and brought to a stand still in the centre of the room. 

Rosalina forced herself to step forward, gulping as she withdrew the black scrap of material they had for a blindfold from her pocket, standing in front of him as he was held back by Shane and Daryl. “It’ll be over soon, I promise.”

“What will be?” He cried out fearfully as she tied the blindfold tight around his head, “Oh god.”

“Do you want to stand or kneel?” Rick asked him when the three others stepped back, leaving Randall stood sobbing and blindfolded in front of him.

He couldn’t manage a response, shaky and stuttering in fear, Daryl eventually pushing forward and forcing him to his knees. When he stepped back, Rosalina moved towards him, her stomach turning in a way that made her certain she was going to be sick if Randall kept pleading and crying. “Do you have any last words?”

“Oh please, don’t.” Randall sobbed, choking on his tears. “Please don’t.”

Rosalina could see the apprehension written clear in Rick’s expression, and she considered for a moment that he was going to rip Randall’s blindfold off himself. But then he lifted the gun, pressing it against the boy’s forehead and she felt her stomach to a full flip. 

She jumped, startled when she heard a young, familiar voice behind her. Spinning around, she found Carl stood at the barn door, watching with disturbing fascination as his father pointed a gun at a crying man kneeling on the ground. “Do it, dad. Do it.”

Rick looked up at Shane, who nodded, walking across and ushering Carl out of the barn angrily. But they weren't even out the door before Rick’s resolve failed him, dropping the gun. “Take him away.”

Neither Daryl or Rosalina questioned him, moving forward to yank Randall up off the ground together, carrying him out of the barn, Daryl muttering quietly. “Must be your lucky day.”

“What the hell was Carl thinking, coming to watch that?” Rosalina asked as they crossed the field, her voice not much louder than a whisper, surprised when Daryl was able to hear her over Randall’s sobbed prayers of gratitude.

“The hell if I know,” Daryl shrugged, yanking the shed door open as they reached it and ramming Randall inside, throwing it closed again without another word. “Come on, we should get back to camp.”

“Why, so anxious to get rid of me?” She joked weakly, still shaken from the events that had transpired. Daryl shook his head, unable to manage a laugh.

“It’s late, we shouldn't be walking around after dark.” He pointed out, starting to walk them in the direction of the dimly lit camp.

Rosalina shook her head. “Daryl, it’s the farm, it’s a lot safer walking around here in the dark then you think. We’ve been safe-”

A sudden yell broke through the night air, startling the pair. Daryl shot her a look, as though reprimanding her for tempting fate, before they took off in a run, weapons in hand. 

The pair ran through the field, distantly hearing others moving, running around them, the sounds of pained yells becoming louder. As they broke through into another field, Rosalina gasped as she saw a familiar human figure fighting off a walker, hearing Andrea yell out, “Dale!”

Daryl sped up, throwing himself forward and tackling the walker off Dale, landing on top of it and driving his knife through its skull. Rosalina caught up with him seconds later, throwing herself down next to Dale, gasping as she saw the mess the walker had made of his stomach. “Hang in there, Dale, come on.”

“Help!” Daryl yelled, drawing the attention of the rest of the group over to them, kneeling down opposite Rosalina. “Shit.”

His flesh of his stomach had been torn apart, ripped apart like plasticine, leaving his organs exposed in a bloody mess, blood sliding down from the flaps of skin left open. Rosalina gagged, unable to help herself.

The rest finally reached them, Rick moving Rosalina out of the way to kneel down next to the quickly fading Dale, clutching the old man’s face in his hands, ignoring Andrea’s cries as she reached them “Listen to me, all right? Okay? Hold on,” Rick turned around, calling up to the approaching Shane. “Get Hershel! He needs blood!”

Andrea took Rosalina’s place on the floor, clutching Dale’s hand, forcing him to look up at her. “Hold on, okay? Just hold on!”

Rosalina stood up, shaking as she looked down at the man. Around her, others arrived, Lori and Glenn both skidding to a sudden, horrified stop when they say Dale lying on the ground, battling for his life with his insides ripped out. 

Hershel finally ran up, kneeling down at Dale’s side. Rick asked him desperately, “What can we do? Can we move him?”

“He won’t make the trip.” Hershel told him grimly, taking a long look at Dale’s state and knowing there was next to nothing that could be done for him.  

But Rick couldn’t accept this, and Rosalina allowed a sob to escape her throat as he said, “Then you have to do the operation here! We need blood!”

“Rick!” Hershel gripped his arm, forcing him to pay attention. He shook his head.

“No!” Rick cried out, the rest of the group freely crying as they realised what was happening. “No!”

“I’m sorry.” Hershel stepped back, moving to hug his sobbing daughter and Patricia.

Rosalina looked around at the group through tearful eyes, seeing every single person present clearly effected. Her eyes locked on Daryl, who was already staring at her, and she rushed over, throwing herself into his arms with a loud cry.

He clutched her tightly, one hand on her head and the other on her back, keeping her from seeing Dale grunting and groaning in agony, Andrea realising in one horrible moment, “He’s suffering. Do something!”

Rosalina forced herself to turn her head, still tucked tight in Daryl’s arms, seeing a shaking Rick raise his gun. But then drop it again.

“I’m sorry.” Daryl murmured to her, and she didn’t have chance to react when he suddenly pushed her away, moving forward and taking Rick’s gun from him. Rosalina watched, shaking with the force of her sobs as Daryl knelt down, pointing the gun to Dale’s forehead.

“I’m sorry, brother.”

The gunshot was Rosalina’s final straw, sending her down onto the ground, gagging and retching, surrounded by her crying and screaming friends who had just seen one of their own ripped apart and killed.

When Daryl’s hands landed on her back, she spun around, throwing herself against his chest. She couldn’t tell who was clinging to the other tighter.


	15. There's a time and a place to die, and this ain't it

Rosalina wanted nothing more than to collapse onto her bed after Dale’s funeral, the emotional toll having had a bigger impact than she ever could have expected. But she couldn’t, because Hershel wanted to talk to her, Rick, Shane and Daryl.

So, instead, she trailed herself over to where the four men had gathered next to the old blue pickup truck they’d been using for moving bodies, of walkers and now the living. “Hey guys.”

They greeted her with smiles and nods, Daryl inching closer when she walked around to stand next to him, nobody noticing how close they were stood-it was sort of expected by the group now, that where Daryl was, Rosalina would usually follow. “I want you guys to come up to the house. It’ll be safer, and we can avoid accidents like this happening again.”

“It’ll be a tight fit. Fifteen people and a cat in one house?” Rosalina blew out a puff of air, shaking her head. She pretended not to notice Rick and Shane’s heads snap round to look at her in confusion, biting back a smirk. 

“Don’t worry about that,” Hershel told her firmly. “With the swamp hardening, the creek drying up, and fifty head of cattle on the property, we may as well be ringing a damn dinner bell. We should have moved you in a while ago.”

“Thank you,” Rick said, giving him a grateful nod, stepping back to give orders to the rest of the group. “All right, lets move these vehicles near each of the doors, facing out toward the road. We’ll build a lookout in the windmill, another in the barn loft. That should give us sightlines both sides of the property.”

“I’ll stock the basement with food and water,” Hershel informed them as those near enough Rick kicked themselves into gear after hearing his orders. “Enough that we can all survive there for a few days if need be.”

“What about patrols?” Andrea asked, approaching them.

“Lets just get this area secured first. After that, Shane will assign shifts while Rose, Daryl and me take Randall offsite and cut him loose.” Rick said, and Rosalina nodded to him, pushing away and walking over to her tent.

Inside, Chess sat in his basket happily, Rosalina smiling down at him. “Come on, little buddy, time to introduce you to your new house. Have you missed living in a house? I bet you have!”

Picking the basket up, she led Chess out into the air, walking over to where Shane and Rick were still talking. She cleared her throat, gaining their attention, and she resisted the urge to choke on her laughter when their eyes grew large as saucers. “Boys, meet Chess. He’s been living in camp for two days, and I love him more than life itself. Everybody else has already met him, and we are all willing to defend his right as a member of the group. He’ll be living with us at the house.”

They stared at her, Rick’s mouth opening to speak and shutting again, gaping like a fish out fo water. Finally, he laughed in sheer shock, shaking his head and leaning forward to brush the tabby cat’s fur with his hand. Chess responded immediately, leaning into his touch. “I guess it wouldn’t be the worse thing in the world to have a cat around. Where did you even find him?”

“I took a day off and went into the woods for a relax,” Rosalina giggled as Chess pulled himself up onto her shoulder, wrapping around her neck like a particularly soft scarf. “He woke me up demanding a fuss. So, I popped him in my bag and brought him back on my horse, and he’s been happy enough living in my tent ever since.”

“You’ve had him for two days?” Shane repeated in disbelief. “How did we not notice?”

“You’ve been distracted,” Rosalina shrugged, stroking the top of Chess’ head as he grew comfortable on her shoulders. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to take Chess to his new home.”

When she arrived at the farmhouse, however, Jimmy and Patricia had already prepared for the furry addition to the household, having set Chess up with his own personal quarters in the kitchen, a bowl of food already set out for him and a quarter pint of milk poured into a dish. Rosalina wasn’t sure who was more excited about Chess moving into the house, Jimmy or the cat himself, who eagerly explored the household while she went back over to camp in order to pack up her tent and the rest of her belongings. 

Seeing her struggling to balance all her weapons, a rucksack on her back, folded up camp bed under her arm and her tent in her other hand, Daryl walked over, lifting the camp bed up with ease. “Give here, before you break your arms.”

“Thanks,” She breathed gratefully, falling into step beside as they walked back up to the house. “Chess Jones-Dixon seems happy in his new home. I considered making him an honorary Greene in thanks to them for opening their home, but a triple barrelled surname seemed kind of cruel.”

“It might be a little bit,” Daryl chuckled, glancing down at the ground. “You know where you’re sleeping yet? Every seems to have chosen their own corners already.”

“Yep, she’s sharing my room!” The pair jumped in equal surprise when Beth skipped past them, carrying a bag in each hand, a smile on her face. She’d recovered from her manic depressive episode, and was back to her bubbly self again, much to Rosalina’s relief. “I already cleared space for your camp bed!”

“Aw, you’re too kind, Lovegood,” Rosalina grinned at her gratefully, and Beth gave her a happy nod before bouncing away. “Well, that’s my room sorted out. How about you? Where are you gonna set yourself up?”

“I’ll find somewhere,” He shrugged, glancing down at her with a smirk. “Blondie got a big room?”

Rosalina laughed, nudging him with her hip. “Not big enough for a six foot tall redneck! Why don’t you just set up in the hallway outside her room? It’ll be quiet, doubt anyone else will think of it.”

“Nah,” He shook his head. “I’d rather be close to the doors. Get out quicker if something happens.”

Rosalina denied the small slip of her smile, nodding in understanding. “Yeah, of course. Probably a smarter plan.”

They entered the house, seeing the rest of the group already setting up around them. Daryl let her lead the way, pushing through the crowd and skipping up the stairs and into Beth’s room. She laughed, seeing that the girl had indeed shoved her bed further across to the side, leaving a large gap for Rosalina’s camp bed next to it. “Hey, can you set it up here for me? Thanks.”

“I’m not your slave.” Daryl grunted out as he began to tangle with the camp bed, doing as he was asked.

Smirking, Rosalina nodded. “Of course not! What a ridiculous notion! Can you just edge it a little closer to the wall though? So I don’t get hit by the door every time someone walks in.”

Her amusement grew when he followed her orders without complaint, straightening up and looking down at her in confusion. “What?"

“You’re totally my bitch.” She smirked, laughing when he gave her a shove.

“Shut up,” He warned, but there was a smile on his face. “You gonna unpack or what?”

“I don’t exactly have much to unpack,” Raising one eyebrow, Rosalina dropped down onto her bed, leaning back. “A few books, a vinyl player that I think Carl still has, a cassette player and some cassettes, too many weapons to count and a few spare clothes. I may as well keep it in my bag.”

Daryl grunted, nodding in response, leaning against the wardrobe opposite her. “What d’you wanna do now?”

“What we have to,” She shrugged, standing back up. “Rick wants us to head out in the next hour, we ought to be ready first. You got your crossbow?”

“Already in the truck,” He informed her, watching as she straightened her belt, seeing how she was struggling with the very sword that hung in its holster. She had grown accustomed to walking around without it. “You just taking the sword?”

“Nope,” Popping the ‘p’, she smirked, pulling off her leather jacket to reveal she was wearing her holsters. From her bag, she withdrew her two daggers, sheathing them before pulling out her thigh holster filled with sharp edged knives, strapping it to her leg. “Feels weird to be this heavily armed again.”

“You’ll get used to it,” He assured her gruffly, pushing off the wardrobe and opening the door for her. “Lets go.”

Outside, they found Rick had parked the truck only a few feet from the door, Daryl’s crossbow sat in the back like he had said. Rosalina hopped up, crossing her legs and sitting down in the back of the truck, a smile on her face as she saw T-Dog approaching them with two guns. “You only have so many arrows. And...you know what, you might be alright, you seem to have an endless supply of knives going.”

She grinned at him, winking, while Daryl studied the gun he has been handed by T-Dog. “Is this Dale’s gun?”

“Yeah.” T-Dog confirmed, closing the door of the truck.

Daryl pushed the gun into the waistband of his jeans, which Rosalina couldn’t help but think was incredibly impractical but didn’t say a word. “Wish I knew where the hell mine is.”

Rick approached them from behind, calling up to the pair. “Ready?”

“Always.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll go get the package.” T-Dog said, receiving mutters of thanks as he walked away.

Noticing Rosalina sat in the back of the truck, Rick furrowed his brow. “You know there’s enough space in the cab for all three of us.”

She smiled. “Yeah, I know, but I grew up in the UK. Everything has seatbelts there, so any opportunity I have to ride free in the back of a truck, I’m gonna take it. Makes me feel all cool, like a proper American, but without the bigotry and big mouth." 

Daryl snorted. “Have you ever actually listened to yourself? You’ve got the biggest mouth here.”

She let out a gasp of outrage, leaning over the side of the truck to give him a shove. “Rude! I’m not that chatty, asshole! I can be as quiet-”

“Randall’s gone!” T-Dog’s shout made their heads all snap around, watching him run up from the shed in a panic. “He’s not there!”

“Shit!” Rosalina exclaimed, jumping from the truck, running with the two men towards the shed.

Daryl was the first to reach it, yanking open the door to see it was indeed empty. “Fuck!”

Rosalina turned to T-Dog, telling him quickly, “Get up to the house, tell them Randall’s missing and we need to be-”

“Too late.” He pointed out, seeing that people had come flooding outside, hearing the shouts of himself and Daryl.

“What’s going on?” Lori called nervously.

“Randall’s missing.” Daryl told them bluntly, kicking the ground as he moved to stand next to Rosalina, a hand on his gun, the other clenched into a fist.

Immediately, the news had the group in a panic, demanding to know how and asking where he could of gone. Rick stepped into the shed, reappearing a minute later to raise his hands, silence the ambush of questions. “The cuffs are still hooked. He must’ve slipped them.”

“Is that possible?” Carol asked.

Andrea nodded from where she was stood, hands on her hips. “It is if you’ve got nothing to lose.”

Hershel frowned, casting a wary look over at his family, concerned for their safety at the news Randall was gone. “The door was secured from the outside. How did he manage to bust the lock?”

Before anyone could supply an answer, they heard a furious yell from across the field, making them all turn to see a bloodied Shane striding out of the forest towards them. “Rick! Rick!”

“What happened?” Lori shouted to him, a hand on her son’s shoulder as Shane approached.

Rosalina’s hand twitched next to her knives, listening to Shane speak. “He’s armed! He’s got my gun!”

“Are you okay?” Rick demanded, staring at Shane’s very obviously broken nose. 

“I’m fine!” Shane insisted, finally reaching them. “Little bastard just snuck up on me, clocked me in the face!”

This set off warning bells in Rosalina’s head, but she didn’t have chance to voice the fact that Randall could hardly stand on his leg without falling over and it seemed unlikely he’d be able to sneak up on Shane of all people, as Rick was already giving orders. “Hershel, T-Dog, get everybody back in the house! Rose, Glenn, Daryl, come with us!”

Daryl armed his bow, Rosalina’s hands wrapping around the handles of her dagger and withdrawing them skilfully. “T-Dog, I’m going to need that gun.”

Rosalina watched with suspicious eyes as Shane took the gun from T-Dog, Carol calling out. “Just let him go! Wasn’t that the plan all along? Just to let him go?”

“The plan was to cut him loose far away from here, not on our front step with a gun.” Rick argued, already starting to storm towards the forest, Shane, Daryl, Glenn and Rosalina quick to follow.

“Don’t go out there,” Carol cried out fearfully. “You all know what can happen!”

“Get everybody back in the house, lock all the doors, and stay put,” Rick dismissed her worry, barely even casting a backwards glance to his wife and son who stood clutching each other. “Did you see where he went, Shane?”

“I saw him head up through the trees that way before I blacked out,” Shane pointed as they reached the woods, leading the way. “I’m not sure how long. He couldn’t have gotten far.”

“He’s hobbled, exhausted,” Rick listed off, turning to face Daryl. “Can you track him?”

“No, I don’t see nothing.” Daryl shook his head, eyes trailing the ground, searching for any trace of Randall. 

Shane spoke up, his voice loud and agitated. Rosalina couldn't help but feel uncomfortable when he glanced over her, his eyes manic and alert. He was frighteningly ready for this situation. “Hey, look, there’s ain’t no use in tracking him, okay? He went that way. We need to pair up, spread out. We just chase him down.”

“That’s it,” Daryl muttered, turning to glare at Shane over his shoulder, Rosalina keeping close to his side. “Kid was a buck-twenty five soaking wet, and you’re trying to tell us he got the jump on you?”

“You’re twice his size and fully-abled, it’s a good point.” Rosalina agreed, Shane glowering between them.

“I’d say a rock pretty much evens those odds, wouldn’t you?” He spat back.

She shook her head, squaring off against him, chin raised. “No, actually I wouldn’t.”

Rick cut in, seeing that the a storm was brewing between Shane and the two. “All right, all right, knock it off. Daryl, you, Glenn and Rose start heading up the right flank. Me and Shane will take the left. Remember, Randall’s not the only threat out there.”

“How could we forget?” Rosalina murmured, watching Shane carefully, eyes narrowed. He jutted his chin up at her challengingly, but she didn’t back down, holding her stance. 

It was only when Glenn nudged her that she dropped her stare, giving the younger boy a nod to show she wasn't going to start anything, pulling up the tail end of their group as they followed Rick’s orders.

They traipsed through the trees in bushes quietly, listening carefully for any source of noise. Rosalina’s scrunched her eyes up, struggling to see in the fast approaching darkness of the night, muttering quietly. “You boys mind if I light my torch up? I can’t see a damn thing currently.”

“I was about to say the same thing,” Daryl replied, and Rosalina turned her light on, peering through the forest around them. “This is pointless. Come on.”

He turned to lead them back the way they had come, all three watching the ground careful to avoid tripping up and injuring themselves. When they arrived back at their starting point, Glenn complained, “We’re just back to square one.”

“If you’re gonna do a thing, you may as well do it right.” Daryl calmly shot back in reply, facing Rosalina and gesturing to her torch. She handed it to him without a word, allowing him to lead them forward. 

Finally, after another five minutes of tripping and tumbling through the overgrown, or at least in Rosalina’s case, Daryl spoke up again. “There’s two sets of tracks right here. Shane must’ve followed him a lot longer than he said.”

When the torch light lifted up, Rosalina caught sight of something glinting on a tree, a red liquid. She trod forward slowly, taking her torch from Daryl and shining it on the tree. “This is fresh blood.”

“Shine the light on the ground next to you,” Daryl ordered, neither of them noticing Glenn’s apprehension to carry on after seeing the blood. “There’s more tracks here. Looks like they were walking in tandem.”

“Here,” Rosalina handed him back the torch, her fingers brushing his, stepping back to walk on Glenn’s other side. “Is anybody else getting the feeling Shane might’ve held a lot more information back then he’d admit too?”

“I am now,” Daryl said, nodding to the ground. “There’s a little dust up here. That means something went down.”

“This is getting weird.” Glenn breathed just as Daryl spotted Randall’s thin blindfold on the floor.

“Had a little trouble here.” Rosalina knelt down to pick up the scrap of material, only to hear branches cracking and crunching behind them startling the trio. They jumped froward, ducking behind a tree, Rosalina squashed between the two men, her daggers at the ready. 

Nervously, she leaned around Daryl, ducking her head to see a figure stumbling through the leaves, slow and seemingly away from them. She pressed herself back against the tree, shrugging at Daryl, mouthing questioningly at Daryl, ‘Walker?’

He nodded, tossing the flashlight to Glenn and lifting his crossbow, ready to fire. But they weren’t expecting the walker to suddenly grab ahold of Glenn, groaning and moaning as he clutched the material of the boy’s shirt. Rosalina let out cry of surprise, pulling the walker back from Glenn, only to have it topple backwards, knocking her to the ground with it falling on top of her. She caught Daryl on the way down, knocking him into the tree.

“Shit!” She called out, having dropped one of her daggers in the fall, struggling to keep the walker out of biting distance, breathing in brief relief when he was pulled from her by Glenn. 

Jumping up, she drove her dagger down into it’s skull just as Daryl scrambled up from his fall, all three staring down at the dead walker, panting heavily. Daryl clapped Glenn on the back, muttering, “Well done.”

Rosalina didn’t say anything about how she had been the one to kill the walker, because as she knelt down next to it, a horrible realisation hit her. “Guys, this is Randall.”

“What?” Daryl questioned, kneeling down opposite her. Glenn shone the torch onto the walker’s face, proving Rosalina was right. “Shit. Looks like he got his neck snapped.”

“Shane,” Rosalina murmured, checking Randall’s skin, pushing him over so she could see his back. Neither Glenn or Daryl corrected her comment. “He hasn’t got any bites.”

“Yeah, none you can see.” Glenn replied, but Daryl shook his head.

“No, she’s right. He died from this,” He gestured to the broken neck. “How is that even possible?”

They all shared fearful, tense looks, Rosalina standing up. “We need to get back to the group, now. For one, it seems we have a murderer and a liar in our ranks. For two, we’ve got a walker with no bites. This can't be good.”

“Lets go.” Daryl agreed, standing up and leading the way, the trio falling back into the same formation as before with Rosalina bringing up the rear, snatching her fallen dagger back up as she passed.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Walking through the door into the well-lit living room, Rosalina didn’t think she had ever seen so many relieved faces. Beth jumped up, running to her with her arms outstretched. Rosalina returned the hug tightly.

“We thought you were in trouble,” She breathed, pulling back to be eye-level with her. “We heard a shot.”

“We heard it too,” Rosalina confirmed, looking around the room. “Rick isn’t back yet?”

“No. Maybe they found Randall.” Lori suggested, and Rosalina’s stomach turned.

“We found Randall.” Daryl informed them grimly, dropping his crossbow at his side.

Patricia leaned forward. “Is he back in the shed?”

“He’s a walker.” Daryl said, and Rosalina gripped Beth’s hand tight when she saw her panic.

“Did you find the walker that bit him?” Hershel asked, standing close to Patricia.

Rosalina shook her head, sharing a look with Daryl and Glenn. “When we found him, he hadn’t been bit. Or scratched, we checked. His neck was broken.”

“So he fought back.” Patricia pointed out. 

But Daryl shook his head. “The thing is, Shane and Randall’s tracks were right on top of each other. And Shane ain’t no tracker, so he didn’t come up behind him. No, they were together.”

“Would you please get back out there and find Rick and Shane, and find out what on earth is going on?” Lori approached Daryl, pleading.

Rosalina felt her stomach tip when he nodded, already backing towards the door. “You got it.”

“I’ll go with you.” She decided immediately, moving to follow, her eyes sliding past Chess as he tottered up, nuzzling his head against her leg.

Daryl didn’t bother to argue, allowing her to follow him outside, Beth reaching down to grab Chess before he could follow.

But, as they reached the porch, they came to a stop. Looking out across the dark field, they saw the horrifying sight of a herd slow moving figures approaching, already having reached the outer perimeter of the barn. “Oh gods.”

Rosalina’s heart was in her throat, her pulse seeming to beat throughout her space in her body, Daryl grabbing her shoulder and shoving her back into the house, calling out, “Walkers!”

This brought the rest of the group out, Hershel standing at the very edge of his porch, staring out at the approaching horde. “Patricia, kill the lights!”

“Should we go back inside?” Glenn questioned, clearly panicking.

Daryl turned to him. “Not unless there’s a tunnel downstairs I don’t know about. A herd that size will rip the house down.”

Suddenly, they heard Rosalina give a gasp, and before anyone could grab her she was running out of the house and into the field. Daryl started forward, pulling Andrea off him when she yanked on his arm to keep him in place. “Rose, what the fuck are you doing!”

“Dusty!” She called back, turning a corner and making straight for the stables.

Daryl tried to storm after her, but Andrea and Glenn pulled him back, watching with terrified expressions as Rosalina disappeared inside the wooden structure. “Don’t, you’ll only draw more attention to her!”

“What the hell is she doing!” He raged, never having bothered to remember her horse’s name, his face turning a furious shade of scarlet.

But Maggie knew exactly what Rosalina's plan was, stepping forward. “She’s saving her horse.”

Sure enough, seconds later, Rosalina rode out of the barn as fast as the horse she rode on could go, reaching the house in less than a minute. She jumped from Dusty's back, giving Daryl an apologetic shrug when he glared down at her furiously, tugging on Dusty’s reigns to lead him up the stairs to the porch. “I’m not leaving him behind.”

“You stupid bitch!” He yelled, disbelieving that she would risk her life to save a horse. But she stood her ground, gripping Dusty’s reigns tightly, her chin lifted defiantly. 

Before anymore could be said, Lori rushed out the house, crying in panic, “Carl’s gone!”

“What?” The group all demanded at once, eyes wide.

“He, he was upstairs. But I can’t find him anymore.” Lori stuttered, a hand on her chest as her breathing became rapid. “He’s supposed to be upstairs, I’m not leaving without my boy.”

“We’re not,” Carol told her firmly, with all the conviction of a grieving mother. “We’re gonna look again. We’re gonna find him.”

They rushed back into the house, leaving Glenn, Andrea, Hershel, Maggie, Daryl and Rosalina, plus Dusty, stood on the decking. Seeing the panicked expressions of this around her, Rosalina decided to take charge. “We need to start getting ready to leave. If that herd reaches us, we’re dead, simple as. Get people packing bags while they look for Carl. Those of us out here on this porch, we’re the firing squad. We defend this house as long as we can.”

They nodded in agreement with her plan, Rosalina quickly tying Dusty’s reigns around the railing, pressing a kiss to his nose before bursting back into the house.

The front room was packed tight with people panicking, and Rosalina was quick to give orders. “We need to be ready to leave, now! Carl is missing, so while you pack your bags, search for him. Has anybody got a bag in here I can use?”

Beth shakily passed her a large canvas rucksack, and Rosalina took it gratefully, picking up Chess and carefully dropping him inside. “Sorry, little buddy.”

She put him on her back, turning back to the group. “Lets go, now! T-Dog, outside with us, bring the guns!”

Rushing back outside, leaving the rest in the house hurrying to pack up, Rosalina found everybody already lining up with their guns, including Hershel and Maggie. She doubted she should be surprised, they were country folk after all. 

Dusty was pacing back and forth, neighing nervously, and it was all she could do to give him a quick, comforting pat on the head before moving to join the others, her gun pulled out and her cat still sat in her bag on her back. “We need to bring the cars round the front, try and lead some of the walkers away from the farm.”

“You’re kidding,” Rosalina said, hearing Hershel’s suggestion. “You act as though you plan to stay here.”

“This is my farm,” he cocked his gun, meeting her stupefied gaze determinedly. “I’ll die here.”

Daryl shrugged, jumping down off the porch over the bannister. “It’s as good a night as any to die.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Rosalina warned him, following his actions. “Alright, you crazy old man, to the cars!”

They ran, Rosalina watching Daryl’s back as he made his way to his motorcycle, Andrea and T-Dog taking the blue pickup truck and Glenn with Maggie in her car. “Guys, we need to drive up to the fence. Take down as many as we can while they’re still coming!”

“And you called my dad crazy!” Maggie shrieked, Rosalina grinning up over at her as she stared wide-eyed at her from the inside of her car. 

“What can I say, I’m an eccentric!” She climbed on the back of Daryl’s seat, legs wrapped around his waist tightly, arms around his chest. “Move out motherfuckers!”

Daryl couldn’t help but chuckle, pushing the motorbike into full throttle, Rosalina prepared for it this time and managing to keep her reaction to a minimal squeak.

They drove straight up to the barbed wire fence separating the field the house was in to the one the barn was in. Rosalina didn’t bother to question why the barn was on fire, too caught up in firing shot after shot at the heads of walkers.

“Don’t waste bullets, headshots only!” She called into the night over the sounds of groans, gunshots and car engines. Daryl wordlessly held onto her waist as she climbed up on his bike, standing upright so that she had a clearer shot at the targets. “Does anyone know why the barn is on fire?”

“Maybe Rick set it?” Daryl yelled up to her, firing a bullet perfectly through the forehead of a nearing walker. “We’re about to find out anyway, Jimmy just drove up next to it!”

As he’d said, Rosalina could see Jimmy fast approaching the barn in the RV, pulling to a stop twenty feet away to start shooting. “Drive us over to him, now!”

Rosalina dropped back down into the seat, Daryl kicking off and driving over to Jimmy. The boy leaned out of the window to speak to them, still firing shot after shot at the walkers. “Must have been Rick or Shane started that fire. Maybe they’re trying to get back. Why don’t you circle round?”

Jimmy nodded in response to Daryl’s suggestion. “Got it.”

Leaning her head up, Rosalina warned. “Be careful! I need you back safely to help me out with the cat in the rucksack!”

He grinned, starting forward towards the burning barn. “I’ll be back, promise!”

They didn’t wait to watch him go, driving away to support Andrea in shooting down walkers that were trying to pull down the fence. “Daryl, I need you to trust me right now and not freak out!”

“What are you gonna do?” He yelled back to her, and in response he felt a sudden coldness against his back. “Rose!”

“I’m fine!” She yelled, having thrown herself off the motorbike and onto the ground, careful to land on her front. Daryl watched as she jumped up, twisting her head to check on Chess, and then sprinting to the fence and drawing her sword.

She slashed through the heads of the walkers nearest to her, gripping the sword with both hands as she forced it through their skulls, illuminated by the orange glow of the burning fire. She continued like this for a few minutes, finally pulling back when she realised they were coming in heavier waves. There were too many for her to take on alone, and she wasn't risking her own, or Chess' life tonight in a losing battle.

Running back, she hopped on Daryl’s bike where he had been waiting anxiously for her. He drove off the second she was securely on, calling back, “We’re never gonna hold them off! We need to go!”

Rosalina could feel Chess scrabbling at her back and shook her head. “Get us back to the house, step on it!”

Following her orders, Daryl drove them back, Rosalina’s sharp eyes scouring the ground for any of the group. She caught sight of a screaming Carol trapped by walkers in front of the stables, pointing her out to Daryl. “Drop me off here, I can run to Dusty. Save Carol!”

“That horse will never get you out of here alive!” Daryl yelled back over the noise of the chaos, pushing on. 

Rosalina, leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his cheek, whispering in his ear, “Just trust me, please. Save Carol, I’ll be fine.”

He let out a yell of annoyance, slamming on the breaks and giving Rosalina the chance to jump off. She kissed his cheek again, flashing him a killer smile before taking off running to the house, all too aware of the walkers close on her tail behind her.

She refused to freeze as she sprinted up the steps, heart pounding as she yanked Dusty’s reigns free, seeing that everyone had already left the house. The horse was alert and nervous, his movements jittery as Rosalina clutched his reigns in her hand. Jumping on his back, she charged him forward, guiding him left and right avoid the worst of the herd.

But Dusty, through his own common sense, seemed to know where to avoid, and Rosalina trusted him enough to take one hand off the reigns, and pulling out her gun, firing shot after shot at walkers that drew too near.

She caught sight of T-Dog’s blue truck pulling away, rammed with people inside, spurring Dusty towards them. “Come on, boy! There you go, we’re getting the fuck outta here!”

She couldn’t give herself chance to look back for anyone else, pushing Dusty to gallop as fast as he could, overtaking the blue truck easily. She kept in front of it, shoving her empty gun into her backpack, remembering that Chess was still pressed against her back, drawing her sword as a precaution as they appeared to leave the worst behind.

“Come on, Dusty,” She encouraged, adrenaline pumping through her veins. “Just keep going.”

She couldn’t stop, hearing the engine of the truck still going behind her, her body bouncing up and down in the saddle as Dusty carried her to safety. “Just keep going.”


	16. Can you hear the people sing?

It took an hour of riding before Rosalina felt safe enough to pull Dusty to a stop, signalling to T-Dog to pull over. He did as ordered, stopping at the side of the road next to her, the group he’d managed to save piling out of the car.

Rosalina was relieved to see Lori and Beth both alive and unharmed, but her heart dropped at Beth’s red eyes. She asked gently, directing her comment to Lori, who had her arm wrapped around the girl’s shoulders. “Who have we lost?”

“Patricia,” The answer made Beth give another shaky sob, and Rosalina bowed her head respectfully for the loss of the kind older woman. “Carol was with us but she ran in the wrong direction. Andrea went after her and we couldn’t find either of them before we had to leave.”

“I sent Daryl to pick up Carol, don’t worry,” She assured them. “He’ll have picked up Andrea too if she was there.”

“What about Rick?” Lori shakily asked, letting her strong demeanour drop for a moment. “We think Carl must've gone after him and I know they’re together.”

“We thought they might of started the fire in the barn so we sent Jimmy round to check it out. If they were there, he’ll have picked them up.” Rosalina promised sliding her rucksack off her back and releasing Chess onto the quiet, darkened road. He jumped out, looking visibly shaken, his hair on edge.

“Come here, Chess.” T-Dog knelt down, sharing a similar expression of fear as the cat that ran up to his hand, begging to be fussed and comforted. Rosalina felt a wave of guilt rush over her, but couldn't regret her decision to keep him in the rucksack-she had saved his life, even if she had put him into shock. 

Stretching her arms up above her head, Rosalina released a long breath, allowing her muscles to relax. Beside her, Dusty sat down heavily on the road, exhausted from his escapades. “We need to work out where we go next. The guys will head back to the highway where we broke down that first time, which means we need to start heading back in the other-”  
“We’re headed east,” T-Dog looked up at her, his jaw set determinedly. “Look, we’ve got a shot to get out of here in one piece. We should head to the coast.”

“I’ve gotta find Carl,” Lori argued, hugging Beth to her when the girl whimpered at the raised voices. “They may have escaped with Jimmy, or somebody.”

“I hate to say it, but they’re on their own.” Rosalina scoffed in disbelief at his words.

“What the hell? That is her husband and son, that girl’s father and sister, my friends! Your friends! We have to go back!” She exclaimed, seeing the panic in Lori and Beth’s expression, the younger girl standing up on her own to stare with horror at T-Dog.

“I’m sorry, but that’s suicide.” He shook his head.

Lori raised her hands, stepping away from him. “Then I’m not getting back in that car with you. I will walk my way back if I have too!”

T-Dog stared at her, mouth dropping open in shock. Beth moved to stand with Lori, the pair of them walking over to Rosalina as a united front against him. His face twisted up into a pained expression, the only thing keeping him calm seeming to be Chess beside him. “I should do it you know? You’re out of your damn minds!”

But they knew he was convinced, even if it was only because they had forced his hand. “Good man. Come on, I’m sitting with Dusty in the back, I can’t make him ride any further, he’s exhausted already.”

T-Dog scoffed, miming washing his hands of the whole thing, raising them up as he stored across to the driver’s side, opening the door and jumping up, slamming it closed. 

The noise made Chess jump, pattering back to his owner, who lifted him up and handed him to Beth. “Can you look after him for me? He won’t want to ride in the back with Dusty and I.”

Both took him shakily, cuddling into his fur. Rosalina smiled sadly, wrapping her arm around the girl’s shoulders and pressing a kiss to the top of her head, nodding to Lori to guide her back to the truck. 

While they climbed back in, she led Dusty over to the back of the truck, hoping it would be big enough to fit them both inside. “Go on, Dusty. Good boy.”

He seemed to understand what was being asked of him, stepping up into the truck, the old pickup releasing an audible groan as he sat down. T-Dog poked his head out of the window, turning round to demand of Rosalina, “Are you trying to cripple the whole damn truck?”

“Sorry!” She sang apologetically, climbing in next to Dusty, edged into the corner as she lifted the flap back up, shutting them in. She caught sight of a few bags tossed in the farthest corner from her, meaning the the four women left in the house had managed to gather some supplies before the left. She saw her own bag in the pile and sighed, relieved. “To the highway, folks.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Stop!” Rosalina suddenly called over to T-Dog, grabbing ahold of the cab of the truck and leaning over the edge as he pulled to a stop. “I can hear an engine!”

“All the more reason to keep driving!” T-Dog shot back, paranoid about running into another group while he was unarmed, and Rosalina had only her blades. 

But she waved her arm, shaking him off, jumping down from the truck. “How do you not recognise that sound, dumbasses?”

Her heart beat faster, pounding as around the corner at the end of the road turned on an all too familiar motorbike, carrying two people, the driver being a muscular redneck with dark, scruffy hair and a dirt covered face. “Oh thank the gods.”

Seeing a flash of green hair standing next to a blue truck with a horse sat in the back, Daryl sped up, Carol breathing out a sigh of relief when he pulled to a stop.

Rosalina ran forward, not even giving Daryl chance to cut the engine before her arms were around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. “You took your sweet time.”

“I was busy not being walker chow.” He defended, casting a glower over Rosalina’s shoulder when T-Dog grinned at him knowingly from where he stood leaning against the truck. 

Lori had jumped out, her and Carol meeting half-way to embrace, anxiously asking one another what they knew about who had survived, while Beth stayed sat in the car with Chess as her comfort.

Slowly, realising Rosalina didn’t have any plans to release him any time soon, Daryl wrapped his own arms around her back, pressing her against him. He murmured close to her ear, “I watched you for as long as I could, but you disappeared into a thicket of walkers. I wasn’t sure if you’d made it out or not.”

“I think I was the first one off the farm,” She admitted, digging her head deeper into his shoulder. “I managed to overtake T-Dog and guided them back onto the road. I think I wore poor Dusty out though.”

“What about Chess? Is he...?” Daryl trailed off, as though afraid to hear the answer. He felt Rosalina smile against him. 

“He’s a bit shaken, but Beth has him in the cab right now,” She laughed. “I think he regrets waking me up that day in the forest though.”

“You saved his life, I’m sure he’ll forgive ya,” Finally they pulled away, Daryl glaring at her harshly, startling the woman. “Is now a good time to talk ‘bout the fact you risked your damn life for a horse or do you have something even stupider to be doing first?”

She chuckled, pulling an awkward face. “My bad? To be fair, he did save me! So, really, I would’ve been risking my life more by not saving him. When you think about it.”

Daryl stared her down, shaking his head. “You’re gonna get yourself killed doing something dumb for one of those animals.”

“Worth it.” She smiled, and he scoffed, but there was a smile on his face.

Winking at him, she turned away, calling to Carol, “So do I get a hug or what?”

The older woman laughed, walking over with her arms open wide, engulfing her in a hug. “You’re okay? You didn’t get hurt escaping or anything?”

“I’m fine,” She assured her, pulling back to grin. “I’m like Chess, I got nine lives and I’m only down by, like, four or something.”

Carol laughed, pulling her into another hug, affectionately resting her chin on the top of her head. “I’m glad you’re okay. But I need to ask a favour.”

“Of course,” Rosalina agreed, still pressed close against Carol’s chest, the older woman seeming to take comfort in the hug. “What do you need?”

“Can we swap places? That bike is killing my back and I won’t be able to walk for a week if I don’t get a rest from it.” Rosalina laughed at the request, nodding, stepping back with a grin. 

“Sure! I like the bike anyway!” She spun around, seeing Daryl talking to T-Dog, bounding over to him. He turned to look at her, brow raised expectantly, unnerved by her smirk. “Guess who’s your new passenger?”

He rolled his eyes, letting her slide onto the back without a word, growing accustomed to how her legs sat on either side of his body and her arms rested around his middle. But his back still straightened, and Rosalina’s cheeks still went red, no matter how used to the position they were. 

“You ready to go again, man?” He asked T-Dog, kicking the engine into gear, resisting to kick T-Dog at the smug smirk he insisted on shooting at them.

“Sure, lets go.”

It was another fifteen minutes of driving before Rosalina heard a car engine behind them, other than the familiar heave of the truck. Tightening her grip on Daryl’s waist, she twisted her head around, her hair whipping in her face painfully. But, through the tangle of green curls, she was able to make out a familiar silver car that made her heart leap. 

“It’s Maggie and Glenn!” She yelled over the wind, grinning as dared to lift one hand, waving at the car that had joined their convoy. “Oh thank god!”

“That’s most of the group,” Daryl called to her, slowing down until her hand was back in place around his waist, speeding back up again in a rush that made her scream with delight. “Now we just gotta hope Rick, Jimmy, Hershel, Carl and Andrea are waiting for us on the highway.”

The mention of Andrea’s name suddenly made Rosalina’s grip tighten, remembering that she’d last been seen trying to save Carol. “You didn’t see Andrea when you dove in to save Carol? Lori said she was trying to get to her when they were forced to drive!”

“If she was there, I didn’t see her,” Daryl shook his head regretfully. “Rick might’ve picked her up though.”

“Yeah, maybe.” But the sinking feeling in Rosalina’s stomach told her that maybe they’d lost more than just Patricia over night.

Driving along the highway, Rosalina was relieved to see Rick stood with Carl and Hershel in the same place they broke down before. But the RV was nowhere in sight, only Hershel’s old red farmer’s truck, and the harder Rosalina stared, the more apparent it became that Jimmy wasn’t with them. 

As Daryl pulled around to bring them to a stop, Rosalina pressed her face against his back, forcing tears back as she mumbled, “Jimmy didn’t make it.”

The redneck swore quietly. “He was a good kid.”

Amongst the tearful reunions between the families, Rosalina murmured, “Yeah, he was.”

Rick was stood in the middle of the road, clutching Carl and Lori tightly, Hershel doing the same with his two daughters a few feet away. At their feet, Chess sat, eyeing his new surroundings warily. “How did you find everyone?”

“We were all following the same road,” Rosalina answered Rick’s question, Daryl helping her up off the bike, dropping her hand as they walked over to the rest of the group. “Is there anyone else we’re waiting for?”

This was her more delicate way of asking about the dead. Rick met her eyes grimly. “We’re the only ones who made it so far.”

“Shane?” Lori questioned, Carl clinging to her waist. Rick shook his head, and Rosalina didn’t feel an ounce of remorse for the man.

“Andrea?” Glenn asked.

“We saw her go down,” T-Dog informed them, staring blankly into space. “Apparently she didn’t get back up like we hoped.”

“Patricia?” Beth sobbed at Hershel’s question.

“They got her too,” Hershel and Maggie were quick to comfort her. “Took her right from me. I was holding onto her, Daddy. She just...what about Jimmy? Did you see Jimmy?”  
“He was in the RV,” Rosalina ducked her head at Rick’s words. “It got overrun.”

“Did you definitely see Andrea?” Carol pressed over Beth’s sobs.

Lori shrugged uncertainly, sighing. “There were walkers everywhere.”

“But did you see her?” Nobody could answer Carol’s question.

Daryl moved towards his bike. “I’m going back.”

“No,” Rick denied at once, Rosalina’s hand flying out to catch Daryl’s, keeping him in place. “She isn’t there. She’s either somewhere else, or she’s dead. There’s no way to find her.”

“So we’re not even going to look for her?” Glenn asked, an accusing edge to his voice, Rosalina’s attention focused more on the walker that wandered behind him, twenty feet away. 

“We’ve gotta keep moving,” Rick too seemed to have noticed the walker. “There’ve been walkers crawling all over here.”

From the truck, T-Dog inputted, “I say head East.”

“Stay off the main roads,” Daryl reached for his crossbow, aiming it at the approaching walker. “The bigger the road, the more walkers, more assholes like this one.”

He fired, shooting through it’s eye directly. Rosalina moved to retrieve the arrow, returning it to the redneck without a word. “We should ditch one of the cars, keep ourselves together.”

“We could leave the truck.” T-Dog suggested, but Rosalina shot him down immediately.

“There would be nowhere for Dusty to go. I doubt Hershel’s truck would fit him,” She could see the uncertain, wary glances people were giving her, and she glowered. “We’re not leaving him! He saved my life! You wanna leave him, then I’m staying with him.  
Seemingly sensing his owner’s unease, Chess ran up to Rosalina, who picked him up and held him close to her chest. Opposite, Hershel shook his head. “He’ll fit in my truck, he’s been in there before. I’ll take him if Rick’s okay with it.”

All eyes turned to Rick, who looked down at Rosalina’s pleading eyes. He groaned, quietly cursing. “If he fits, you can bring him. But it’s your responsibility to feed him. He won’t be taking food that we might need.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Rosalina rushed at him, setting Chess on the ground and almost knocking Rick over with the force of her hug, joyfully bouncing over to let Dusty out of the blue truck and setting him up in Hershel’s red one. 

Once everyone, in particular Rosalina and her travelling circus of animals, were set up, they took off again on the roads, driving further and further away from the farm they had called home, some for all their lives, and some for only a few weeks.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It only took an hour for the next catastrophe to hit. Rosalina pulled her arms back, telling Daryl to stop when she heard a car horn sound behind them. “Seems like it was Rick.”

“Outta fuel.” Daryl determined, turning back to see everyone climbing out of their cars.  
“You out?” Hershel asked, seemingly having the same idea as Daryl, T-Dog walking alongside with with Chess in his arms. 

“Running on fumes,” Rick said, striding forward, looking at the road ahead of them.

“We can’t all fit in one car.” Glenn pointed out the obvious.

Rick turned back to face the group. “We’ll have to make a run for some gas in the morning.”

“Spend the night here?” Carol questioned in disbelief, clutching her cardigan to herself.

“I’m freezing.” Carl called out, and Rosalina felt a breeze past along the road. Carl was right, it was cold, and none of them were dressed in clothes warm enough to last the night. The temperature would only keep dropping the longer they stayed where they were.

“We can build a fire.” She suggested, reaching down to pick Chess up when he jumped from T-Dog’s arms and ran to her. 

“If you’re going out looking for firewood, stay close. We’ve only got so many arrows and knives,” Daryl warned, looking to Rick. “How’re you doing on ammo?”

“Not enough.” He answered tensely.

Maggie spoke up, Beth close at her side, both for warmth and comfort. “Well we can’t just sit here with our asses hanging out.”

“Watch your mouth,” Hershel reprimanded, something which was extremely funny to Rosalina considering Maggie was only a year younger than her. “Everybody stop panicking. Listen to Rick.”

Rick nodded in thanks. “All right. We set up a perimeter. In the morning we’ll find gas and some supplies. We’ll keep pushing on.”

“Glenn and I can go make a run now, try and scrounge up some gas.” Maggie suggested helpfully, but Rick wasn’t convinced.

“No, we stay together,” He insisted. “God forbid something happens and people get stranded without a car.”

“Rick, we’re stranded now.” Glenn pointed out.

Daryl leaned over Rosalina’s arm, gently stroking the head of Chess while Rick tried to reassure the group. “I know it looks bad. We’ve all been through hell and worse, but at least we found each other! I wasn’t sure, I really wasn’t, but we did. We’re together. We keep it that way. We’ll find shelter somewhere, there’s gotta be a place.”

“Can you take him?” Rosalina handed Chess to Daryl without waiting for an answer, making her way over to the truck Dusty was sat in. 

She gave him a quick stroke, hearing Glenn talk to Rick while she searched through her bag. “Rick, look around. There’s walkers everywhere. They’re, they’re migrating or something!”

“There's gotta be a place, not just where we hole up, but that we fortify,” As Rick spoke, Rosalina moved around to Carl, her bag in one hand and her leather jacket in the other. She wrapped it around his shoulders with a smile, nodding to Lori when she muttered a grateful ‘thank you’. “Hunker down. Pull ourselves together. Build a life for each other. I know that it’s out there! We just have to find it!”  
Rick’s voice had taken on a violent tone, and it was clear he was starting to fold under the stress he was being put under. Rosalina didn’t say a word, simply riffling through her bag and pulling an extra over-shirt for Lori to put on, making her rounds among the most vulnerable of the group, handing out what she could.

As Rosalina handed thinly rolled blanket to Maggie, she said to Rick. “Even if we do find a place we think is safe, we can never be sure for how long for. Look what happened to my farm. We fooled ourselves into thinking that that was safe.”

“We won’t make that mistake again.” Hershel assured his daughter, politely refusing the checked shirt Rosalina offered for him to wrap around his shoulders.

Finding herself out of clothes to share, she stepped forward next to Rick, nodding to him once to show that she was ready to help. “Look, we have to make the best fo a bad situation here. Rick’s right, we shouldn’t risk separating so soon after finding one another, especially not with night approaching. I’ve already passed around some extra layers, and I’m sure there’s more in the few bags Lori and Beth managed to bring with them. Our main concern needs to be with keeping warm, not separating out on the roads.”

“Thank you,” Rick murmured, turning to the rest of the group, gesturing to an old stone structure on the side of the road, seemingly the faded remains of what once had been a house but now had no roof and only half its walls. ‘We can camp here tonight, and then hit the road at the break of day tomorrow.”

They didn’t seem convinced, Beth stepping forward. “What happens if walkers come through, or another group like Randall’s?”

“You know how I found that Randall, right?” Daryl asked Rick. “He turned but he wasn’t bit.”

“How’s that possible?”

“Rick, what the hell happened?”

Rosalina could answer Lori’s question. “Shane killed Randall. Broke his neck. He’d been the one who wanted to kill him right from the very start. Am I right?”

Rick could only nod as Lori pressed, “And then the herd got him?”

There was a long, agonising silence as they waited for Rick to speak. When he did, Rosalina almost wished he hadn’t. “We’re all infected. At the CDC, Jenner told me. Whatever it is, we all carry it.”

Stumbling back from Rick’s side, Rosalina bit her lip, looking down at her body as though she expected it to mutate into a walker’s at any second. This time, Daryl didn’t come to her side to comfort her, stood on the side of the road, eyes down as he processed the new information himself. 

“And you never said anything?” Carol demanded. 

“Would it have made a difference?” Rick replied with a shrug, staring around at them.

Daryl scoffed. “You knew this whole time?”

“How could I know for sure?” Rick tried to defend. “You saw how crazy that mo-”

“You don’t get to make that decision for us,” Rosalina spoke up. Her voice was quiet, but strong, and as she looked up at Rick she saw the reproach in his eyes that she was, for the first time, stood against him. “You don’t get to decide what we should and shouldn’t know. If it regards our lives, you tell us. Yes, perhaps you wait for a good time to tell us, like Glenn had to with the walkers in the barn, but you’ve had ample opportunity to share this news since we took to the highway. You were wrong not to tell us, Rick.”

“I thought,” He stumbled, restarting his sentence, not used to arguing with Rosalina. “I thought it best that people didn’t know.”

He stared around at them, waiting for someone else to speak. When nobody did, he turned away, walking down the road and away from their accusing eyes. Lori quickly passed Carl to Hershel, following after him.

Rosalina waited a few minutes, looking around to see nobody moving, and decided to take action. “Carl, can you take Chess from Daryl? Go sit with him the car, keep yourself warm. Beth, you too, I can see you shivering from here. Chattering teeth is one of my least favourite noises so I’d like to avoid that too please.”

Some of the group managed weak chuckles, but the majority only stared blankly. Carl and Beth did as they were told, Daryl handed Chess over with a grunt.

When they were in the car, Rosalina started to give out orders. “I understand nobody wants to deal with this right now. We all need time to process and wrap our heads around what Rick kept from us. But if we're gonna survive the night, we need to get a fire set up in that structure and a perimeter set up. It’ll be night sooner than we know it, so I’m begging you all, keep your minds on task for one more hour so we can sort ourselves out.”

She was met with an echoing radio silence, before Maggie finally stepped forward. “Glenn and I can scout some firewood.”

“Thank you.” Rosalina smiled gratefully, nodding to both of them.

“I can set up a perimeter on the top of that wall.” T-Dog said.

“I’ll help.” Daryl agreed.

Rosalina turned her smile to both of them, “Thank you, I’ll come help later. We can take turns through the night.”

Facing Hershel and Carol, the latter of whom was still glaring stormily up the road at where Rick had disappeared, she asked hopefully, “Can you guys go through what’s left of our supplies? Food, water, clothes and blankets, just bring anything that could be useful?”

“Sure.” Hershel agreed, giving her a brief smile, walking away to do as she had asked. Rosalina’s gaze turned cautiously to Carol. She decided against saying anything, not wanting an open shouting match with the clearly furious woman, instead turning around to the rest. “I’ll give Hershel a hand gathering supplies. Everyone else, keep to your tasks, and Maggie and Glenn make sure you keep aware looking for the wood. Don’t stray too far.”

They split apart, each separating to complete their own tasks.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The makeshift camp that night was grim, the group having separated into the different sides. 

Lori sat alone with Carl tucked against her side, close to the roaring fire that cast a golden orange glow over every surface. Carl clung to his mother, shivering and cold despite the layers they’d bundled onto him. He seemed to sense the resentment towards his father from around the camp, and hid his face from them all, despite nobody directing their anger at the young boy.

Hershel sat leaning against a log opposite the mother and son, Beth lying with her head in his lap, her feet tucked under Maggie’s legs. Maggie sat with her hand tucked in Glenn’s, slowly falling asleep on his shoulder. Rosalina didn’t think she’d ever seen Glenn look so awake and alert, his eyes darting around at every rush of leaves or breaking of twigs.

On the stone wall behind them stood T-Dog, his posture straight and tensed, a rifle in his hands. At his feet sat Chess, sleeping soundly, having hunted in the woods while they’d set up and found himself a nice mouse dinner, which Rosalina had been unfortunate enough to discover a few feet away from camp.

Daryl was sat on the edge of the other wall, his back to the fire, Carol whispering in his ear angrily about Rick. Rosalina sat a few feet away from them, lying back against the sleeping Dusty, who had settled himself down close enough to the fire to feel the heat, lying on his side and allowing Rosalina to use him as a pillow that doubled as a hot water bottle. She’s been forced to feed him only a few handfuls of berries from the bushes around them, but he seemed to be handling everything better than the humans he was surrounded by.

“You’re his henchman!” Carol hissed, unaware of the fact she could be clearly heard by the rest of the group. “And I’m a burden.”

Daryl looked down at her. “What do you want?”

“A man of honour.” She replied, and Rosalina resisted an eye roll at her dramatics-that was her thing usually.

“Rick has honour.” Daryl told her firmly, jumping down from the wall. He turned his head, meeting Rosalina’s waiting gaze, giving her a nod. She smiled in response, curling up against Dusty as a rush of cold air hit.

Having heard Carol’s words, Maggie muttered to Glenn. “I think we should take our chances.”

“Don’t be foolish,” Hershel dismissed. “There’s no food, no fuel, no ammo.”

There was suddenly a loud snapping of branches, and the ground quickly rose, with the exception only of Rosalina, who didn’t want to spook Dusty. “What was that?”

“It could’ve been anything, Could be a raccoon, could be a possum, a walker.” Daryl listed.

“A Chupacabra.” Rosalina joked quietly, but nobody heard her, all too on edge. 

“We need to leave!” Carol decided firmly. “I mean, what are we waiting for?”

Rick appeared from where he’d been sat away from the half finished building structure, asking quietly, “Which way?”

“It came from over there, where we came from.” Lori said, holding tight to Carl.

“Last thing we need is for everyone to be running off in the dark. We don’t have the vehicles. No one’s travelling on foot.” Rick told them firmly. “Don’t panic.”

“I’m not,” Carola argued. ‘I’m not sitting here waiting for another herd to blow through. We need to move now.”

“No one is going anywhere.” Rick insisted, his gun clutched tight in his hand. 

“Do something.” Carol hissed, while the rest shared nervous glances. Rosalina just stayed seated, tempted to close her eyes drift off to sleep, washing her hands of the whole ordeal.

“I am doing something,” Rick snarled, keeping his voice quiet but letting his anger seep into his tone. “I’m keeping the group together, alive. And I’ve been doing that all along, no matter what. I didn’t ask for this! I killed my best friend for your people for christ’s sake!”

Rick’s explosion left them all staring in horror, even Daryl gripping his crossbow a little tighter. “You saw what he was like. How he pushed me, how it compromised us, how it threatened us. He staged the whole Randall thing, led me out back to put a bullet in my back. He gave me no choice! He was my friend, but he came after me.”

Carl began to cry, Lori pulling him to her chest, hiding him from his raging father. “My hands are clean. But maybe you people are better off without me. Go ahead. I say maybe there’s a place for us, but maybe, maybe it’s just enough pipe dream. Maybe I’m fooling myself again. Why don’t you go find out yourselves? Send me a post card.”

Daryl’s head turned to Rosalina, seeing what she was making of Rick’s speech. She was sat watching him with a small crease in her forehead, her green eyes reflecting the orange light of the fire. He couldn’t tell if she was confused, angry or just plain tired. Maybe all of the above. ‘There’s the door! You can do better.”

Nobody moved. “No takers? Fine. But get one thing straight, you’re staying. This isn't a democracy anymore.”

From where she sat, amidst the silence, Rosalina called lazily, “Does that make it a dictatorship, then, Rick? Because I don’t deal with dictators.”

“Then leave.” He told her simply, opening his arms up to challenge her.

The group watched Rosalina’s face with bated breath, knowing that if she was to stand and walk away in that moment, they would follow. But then she feigned an over exaggerative smile. “Every dictatorship faces a rebellion. Lets see how long it takes for that to begin.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	17. What have you got against Bambi?

Rosalina stood with Beth, Maggie, Lori, Hershel and Carol, waiting for Rick to give them the all clear to run into the house he, Glenn, Daryl, T-Dog and Carl scouted it out, clearing any walkers or other unwanted members out. 

She stood, tossing her hair out of her face with irritation, yanking it back off her face and tucking it into her collar. In the eight months they’d been on the road, ducking from house to house, her hair had grown out past her shoulders, returning back to it’s old, brown colour. She hadn’t found anywhere to stay long enough to use that second pack of green dye on it and get back to her preferred, vivid colour.

“Will you stop fussing with your hair? It looks fine.” Carol murmured at her, rolling her eyes humorously. The woman’s own hair had begun to grow out in grey tufts, and Rosalina couldn’t help but think it looked better cropped short-she, quite obviously, had a preference for short hair on women. 

“You could let me cut it?” The heavily pregnant Lori suggested, struggling to even lean forwards with her large baby bump to pick up one of Rosalina’s soft brown curls-despite it’s length, her hair still retained the same curly nature. “I’m getting pretty good with a knife, one chop-”

“Nope,” Rosalina shook her head, eyes darting around the area cautiously, still able to hold the conversation as she scouted for danger. “I ain’t letting anyone near my hair with a knife. Hershel’s beard, eh, maybe I could agree to letting you guys have a go at that.”

“I happen to like my beard.” The old man told her firmly, stroking the coarse white hair on his chin. Beth and Maggie laughed softly, seeing the raise of Rosalina’s brows as she slowly looked away. She was keeping her eyebrows firmly in shape, along with the other women in the group, after discovering a pair of tweezers in one of the many houses they had discovered. Lori had been the designated beautician for them all, and had done a fine job keeping the sarcastic arch of Rosalina’s brows in perfect condition. 

“Whatever you say, doc. Come, the general is signalling,” As she had said, Rick was gesturing for them at the door of the house, his prickly growing grey beard and unfortunate eyesore for the twenty-four year old woman. “Lets go Chess.”

The slightly skinnier tabby cat followed them into the house, Rosalina taking the steps to at a time, her stolen silver locket swinging around her neck. Her hand reached up to settle it, more protective over the small piece of jewellery than she was over herself sometimes, more concerned about the lock of horse hair that sat inside it than anything else. She wouldn’t forget Dusty, no matter how everyone else dismissed his sacrifice.

Entering the house, the only one of the smaller group not weighed down with bags and supplies, Rosalina walked around into what had once been someone’s living room. “Any food?”

“Carl’s scouting the kitchen out.” Rick informed her, and she nodded, keeping one hand close to her sword even as she saw Glenn and T-Dog walk into the room with their weapons down. It wasn’t until Daryl clattered down the stairs, a recently shot owl in his hands, that her defence dropped.

It no longer had to be spoken among the group that the first law of entering a new house or makeshift camp was to make Lori as comfortable as possible. Nobody sat down until Lori was lying on a blanket on the floor, one hand kept protectively over her bump. 

Once she was seated, Maggie and Glenn dropped down into chairs in the corner of the room, Beth and Carol sitting down on either side of Lori, along with Hershel, while T-Dog and Rick stayed up on their feet. Daryl hoisted himself up onto a table, and Rosalina sat down at his feet, Chess settling in her lap.

Rosalina batted away owl feathers as Daryl began to pluck his prize, pulling them out of her hair. “Do you mind?”

“Sorry.” He grunted, leaning to the other side to continue his work. Rosalina was no longer squeamish over the way Daryl pulled apart his kill for the best meat. She’d seen too much in the eight months on the road to let it affect her any longer-although that wasn’t to say she ever participated in the killing of skinning, no matter how tough she liked to come across(they all remembered what would be named the ‘Bambi’ incident). 

Carl entered the room, his long brown hair flopping in front of his face as he knelt down on the floor, a yellow tin in his hands. Rosalina looked over, scrunching her nose up when she recognised it as dog food, shaking her head when Carl pulled open his can opener.

Rick seemed to share her concerns, walking across the room to his son and snatching the tin from his grasp, reading the label and dropping it down in front of Chess with a loud bang, startling the group.

They sat looking up at him reproachfully while Chess ate, Rosalina scoffing and shaking her head. “That was unnecessarily dramatic and you know it.”

She was the only person willing to speak up against Rick when he got into moods like this, even Daryl deciding it would be easier to just keep his head down and let Rick work it out. But Rosalina’s cocky attitude kept her from doing the same, hence why Rick was permanently glaring daggers her way, only to apologise for it later when he cleared his head.

Glancing out the window, T-Dog saw walkers making their way to the house through the forest, clicking his tongue to alert the rest. Rosalina held back a groan, jumping up and helping Lori onto her feet. “Daryl, find the back door.”

“On it.” They were leaving the house before the walkers could even reach the front door, Chess tucked safely in Rosalina’s rucksack as they jogged through the overgrowth. 

They made their way to the cars, Rosalina and Daryl leading the way on his bike, getting them quickly away from the fast approaching walkers.

This routine they had perfected kept them running like a well-oiled machine. Fast, quiet, never freezing or pausing but instead prepared. Eight months ago, they could never have reacted so swiftly to an oncoming walker attack like this. They’d got their practice now though. 

They didn’t pull to a stop for a full half-hour, when they find themselves on the familiar road that they could plan their next route from. Maggie and Glenn had the map laid out against the hood of their car within seconds of stopping, glancing over it.   
“We’ve got nowhere else for us to go.” Hershel pointed out, reading Rosalina’s scribblings that she’d annotated every time they left a new place. Despite his grave words, he couldn’t help but smile at her tiny drawings of walkers, which had sparked a contest between her and Carl over who was the better artist(they ended with a draw). 

“When this herd meets up with us, we’ll be cut off. We’ll never make it south.” Maggie pointed to a red circle from a herd they’d encountered a week before. 

“So what do you say, it’s about one-hundred and fifty head?” Daryl asked, leaning on the car window. 

Rosalina shook her head, tapping one long nail to where she’d drawn a walker stick figure with arrows around it. “That was last week, for all we know it joined with this herd and we’ve got double the number coming at us. Admittedly, the river could’ve slowed them down, but if we don’t move fast enough we’ll be walking straight into a trap.”

T-Dog pointed to another group marking. “It would be a trap because if that group was flushed our way we’d be blocked completely.”

“Then...” Rosalina and Rick both started, the group hiding smirks as they stared at one another, waiting for one to back down. This too had become a regular occurrence.

Rosalina eventually raised her hands, stepping back. “The floor is yours, General.”

“Thank you,” He nodded to her, turning to the rest. “Then the only thing to do is double back twenty-seven and swing toward Greenville.”

“Yeah, we picked that already,” T-Dog argued, shaking his head. “It’s like we spent the winter going in circles.”

“I know, I know. At Newnan, we’ll push west. Haven’t been through there yet. Can’t keep going house to house. We need to find some place to hold up for a few weeks.” He decided, and they all knew he was referring to Lori, who was ready to pop any day now.

“All right,” T-Dog agreed, Hershel and Maggie both glancing to Rosalina to receive a confirming nod that she agreed with Rick’s plan. “Is it cool if we get to the creek before we head out? Won’t take long, gotta fill up on water.”

“I need to go out into the forest for a bit anyway, Chess is getting hungry for a proper meal, I’ll come with you,” Rosalina gave them the permission they needed, starting to walk when she turned back to Daryl. “You coming, love? You can help Chess hunt if you want.”

He rolled his eyes at her smirk, picking up his crossbow. “Actually, I am going hunting. You coming with me or are you still trying the vegetarian lifestyle?”

“That was one time!” She exploded, shoving into him as they started to cross the road over to the forest, Rosalina pulling her rucksack out and letting Chess run to T-Dog. “And I only said no because it was a baby deer! I’m not going to eat Bambi, Daryl!”

“It’s food, we eat what we can when we can,” He shot at her, not having to see her face to know she was rolling her eyes. Hearing the mention of ‘Bambi’, the rest of the group exchanged amused glances. “Rick, man, you coming hunting?”

“Sure, why not.” He agreed, snatching up a gun and jogging over to join them. 

Rosalina smirked at him as he fell into step behind them, her eyes holding a mischievous glint. “So, General, are you going to be a moody teenager while we walk or can we converse without T-Dog and Glenn making bets over who’s going to start the next argument?”

“What do they even have to bet?” Rick asked, with a slight chuckle, making Rosalina relax, seeing that he was having a Dr Jekyll hour as opposed to Mr Hyde. 

“Knives sometimes,” She laughed. “Who gets to drive the car usually. I think Glenn won one time and got to drive for two whole weeks, meaning I had to put up with T-Dog whining in my ear that the backseat was too cramped and couldn't I please start a fight over something!”

“You could start a fight over anything,” Daryl teased, skipping forward a step when Rosalina pulled out one of her daggers. “Whoa, calm down, princess!”

She rolled her eyes, using the blade of the dagger to flip a beetle of Daryl’s shoulder. “Do you really think so little of me that you think I’d stab you in broad daylight with Rick stood right there?”

“I thought we’d agreed you’d stop making jokes about murdering me,” Daryl murmured jokingly, pausing for a moment. “Train tracks?”

Rosalina followed his gaze, seeing rusted metal trains tracks buried under leaves and plants, only just visible. “These aren’t marked out on the map. Oh, adventure time!”

“Rose!” She slipped through Daryl’s fingers, bounding ahead to follow the tracks, spinning around to see the two men staring after her.

“Oh, come on! It won’t take ten minutes to see where they lead and then we can head back to the road,” She groaned, running back and pulling on Daryl’s arm, heaving him along. “I wanna see where it leads.”

Daryl frowned, recognising her rambling voice as the one she used when she needed to eat. It was a slightly higher pitch than her tired voice, and she over-pronounced all her words, her English accent stronger than usual. “When was the last time you ate?”

“Same time as you, last night,” She crossed her arms over her chest, eyes flying up to look at the tops of the trees tiredly. “I’m not hyper, I’m just bored. I wanna relax for a bit.”

Rick shrugged, starting to follow the train tracks. “I can understand that. We’ll give it ten minutes, then we’re walking back.”

Rosalina cheered, clapping her hands together and bouncing forward, leaving a still suspicious Daryl staring at her back as he slowly followed behind them. 

As they walked, Daryl and Rick were surprised to hear Rosalina humming, tapping her finger in tune with a beat only she could hear. They shared a quick look, silently agreeing to not say anything, just grateful she was singing again. It had been a while since they’d heard her voice, and surprisingly they missed it.

They followed the train tracks into a clearing, finding themselves stood on a hill overlooking a very familiar prison. “Holy shit!”

“What?” Daryl asked, he and Rick walking out of the forest and staring over at the prison. “That’s a damn shame.”

Rosalina saw what he was talking about, walkers milling around in the fenced off area outside the building. But she was too busy clutching his arm to care. “That’s the prison I worked at! Remember I told you guys about the one prisoner who wouldn’t talk to anyone except me? He was here! This is where Julio was working, the guy from the Vatos! I knew I recognised that turning we passed last month, it’s the one you drive down to get here!”

“How well do you know it?” Rick asked, and Rosalina looked up at him, seeing a plan formulating in his mind. She smiled. 

“Well enough.”

Twenty minutes later, Rick was kneeling down with bolt cutters, breaking through the chain-link fence. Behind him stood Daryl and Rosalina, keeping close at one another sides, daggers and arrows at the ready for any walkers. 

Glenn, Maggie and T-Dog were taking on the stray walkers that approached the fence, jabbing at them with sharp sticks, skewering them through the eye sockets. Beth, Carol, Lori, Hershel and Carl stood in a circle, guarding one another, Beth carrying Chess on her back in his usual rucksack, his furry head poking up from beneath the flap.. 

“Come on.” Rick encouraging, stepping out of the way of the hole he had created in the fence, which lead them onto a stone pathway that ran around the length of the prison, another fence cutting them off from the field where the main load of walkers ambled around. As Lori clambered in, Rick and Daryl hurriedly patched up the fence behind them. “Rose, where do we get inside?”

“We’ve got to run along this perimeter, there’s a gate at the main guard’s tower, and I know a side entrance to lead us there faster,” Rosalina informed them, quickly jogging along the path in the direction she had pointed, the rest following her quickly. “Keep up, we’re drawing a crowd!”

She was correct, as walkers quickly began to scramble at the chain linked fence on both sides, following them as they ran. Nobody bothered stopping to kill them, focused on following Rosalina up to the main entrance.

She turned a corner, leading them into a squared, sectioned off area that gave them a clear view of the main guard’s entrance that she had mentioned. “I used to hang out with the guards here on their cigare-breaks! Their breaks!”

Her slip up didn’t go unnoticed, Daryl staring at her in surprise, not having taken her for a smoker. But she didn’t have chance to explain, as Rick was giving orders. “It’s perfect. If we can shut that gate, prevent more from filling the yard, we can pick off these walkers. We’ll take the field by the night.”

“But how do we shut the gate?” Hershel asked. 

“I’ll do it,” Glenn volunteered. “You guys cover me.”

“No,” Maggie denied, and Rosalina was in agreement with her. “It’s a suicide run.”

“She’s right,” Rosalina pointed to the west side of the prison. “I have an idea. Glenn, Maggie, T-Dog and Beth draw the walkers over that way, push them as far back and kill them through the fence. Just keep their attention as best you can.”

Rick seemed to catch on to her plan, clapping her on the back with a proudness Rosalina hadn’t seen in him since the farm. “You and Daryl head back over to that other tower. Carol, you’ve become a pretty good shot. Take you time, we don’t have a lot of ammo to waste. Hershel, you and Carl take this tower.”

Rosalina stopped him as people began to run to their places, Daryl hanging back when she didn’t begin following him to the far tower. “Rick, let me make the run. I’m faster than you, and I won’t waste any ammo because I just need my daggers and knives.”

The reaction was immediate.

“No way,” Daryl growled, striding across and grabbing her arm. He was careful not to hold too tight, still guilty about the long-lasting bruises he had caused last time she’d tried to run off. “You take too long retrieving your daggers, all of ‘em turn on you at once and you’re done.”

Rosalina shook her head, pulling her arm out of his grip, facing the deliberating Rick. “Come on, General, you know it’s the better plan that’ll resort in fewer casualties. You run out there, you’re trapped. I know which way to go if I need to get out quickly. Just let me do this.”

He stared down at her, shaking his head as he dropped the clip locks into her hands. Daryl’s chest rumbled with anger at the action. “Be quick! Don’t try and play hero by taking down anymore walkers than you have too.”

“Thank you,” She turned to the fuming Daryl, giving him a shove to the chest. “Get up to the tower. I want you covering my ass when I’m out there.”  
He didn’t move, and Rosalina seriously considered the idea he was going to repeat what they’d done at the CDC when he’d thrown her over his shoulder and started walking. But then his fists clenched and his glare intensified, letting her know that he was letting her make the run. “Thank you.”

She jumped up, pressing a kiss to his cheek that made his eyes widen. The sight of his confusion made Rosalina smirk, turning back around and running to the side door that would let her out onto the field. Lori stood next to it, ready to open it at her or Rick’s command. “Be careful.”

“Always am.” Rosalina smirked, shooting the heavily pregnant woman a wink as Rick told her to open the gate.

Rosalina could hear her heart beating in her ears, the blood gushing through her body at a formidable rate as she rushed through the field, daggers drawn and at the ready, dodging around as many walkers as she could. Behind her, she could hear the sounds of chains rattling as Beth, Glenn, Maggie and T-Dog did their jobs of keeping the walkers distracted, their yells driving her onwards.

One walker dressed in a prisoner’s uniform neared dangerously close, his mouth open and growling, but before she could stab him there was an arrow lodged in his head, knocking it down. Twisting her head, she smirked at the distant figure of Daryl, grabbing the arrow out of the walker’s head and sliding it into the waistband of her jeans, ready to give it him back when this was all over.

A bullet was suddenly shot in front of her, right where she was about to take a step, and she turned to yell at a mortified Carol. “Do you mind?”

“I’m sorry!”

Reaching the gate without any further altercations with walkers, the rest of her group taking them out from afar before they could even get close, Rosalina slammed the clasps on to the gate with shaking hands, hurrying back when walker on the other side neared close with hungry interest.

“Come on, fuckers.” She encouraged, starting to edge backwards as two jumped out at her side. She didn’t bother with her usual flourish as she jammed her blades into the eyes sockets of both, refusing to panic as she found herself cornered against the door to the guard tower. Kicking up, she forced one of four oncoming walkers back, sliding along the door and forcing it open, slamming it into their faces, sending them flying backwards before she dived inside, panting as she forced it closed before any walkers could follow.

“She did it,” Carol breathed from the top of the guard’s tower where she stood next to Daryl. “She actually did it.”

Smirking proudly, Daryl yelled out to the group, “Light it up!”

There was a barrage of bullets and arrows being fired as the group unloaded on the walkers still in the field, Rosalina racing up the stairs to the top of the guard’s tower, withdrawing her own gun and cheering joyfully to herself when she managed to fire one bullet through the heads’ of two walker, killing them both. “Woo, that means I’m beating T-Dog at walker bingo! Yes!”

It didn’t take them long to eliminate any walkers that posed an immediate threat, and Rosalina ran down and back out onto the field as the rest of the group ran to meet her. She made eye contact with Daryl as he sauntered across the grass, a smirk on his face that mirrored her own. But, before either of them could say a word, Rosalina was pulled into a bone crushing hug by Beth, who was cheering happily at how much land they now had. 

“Things are looking up now, huh?” Rosalina grinned at her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, grateful to have at least one person who was the same height as her. Her eyes slid over to where Daryl was still watching her, and her grin settled into a happy smile. “Things are looking up now!”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The group set themselves up in a circle, between the main prison and the first fence gate, finally finding themselves able to relax when night drew and they didn’t have to worry about their fire attracting any unwanted visitors.

But, as Rosalina had grown to expect, Daryl was still on edge. 

Walking away from where she had been sat with Beth’s head in her lap, Rosalina stared up at Daryl as he paced back and forth atop the prison bus that had been shoved in front of the gates, mock-saluting him. “Permission to come aboard, captain?”

He rolled his eyes at her theatrics, leaning down and offering her a hand, helping her clamber up onto the top of the bus. She stood up, straightening herself. 

Within seconds of her eyes adjusting to the dim light of Daryl’s torch, her face was creased into a grimace. “I thought we agreed to burn the poncho?”

“I am not burning this. It’s cool!” Daryl argued with her, a teasing grin pulling up on his lips at Rosalina’s mouth curling in disgust.

“You have zero fashion sense,” She informed him, running her fingers over the top of the fabric that rested on his chest. She didn’t see his shiver. “We could be in subzero temperatures right now, and I’d still probably cut up a walker and sleep in it’s body before I tried that out.”

Daryl’s nose scrunched up at the gruesome image, as well as in offence as Rosalina’s hatred for his aztec pattered poncho. “How can you picture and talk about shit like that, but the minute I need you to help me catch a deer-”

“It was a baby deer, Daryl! A baby!” He ducked out of the way when Rosalina’s hand shot out to shove his head, and instead her hand fell on top of his hair, holding it between her fingers. “How come you look better with longer hair but I look like the choked, twisted version of Rapunzel when she tumbles out of the tower and ends up strangling herself with her own hair.”

Daryl seemed to lose his ability to speak, staring down at Rosalina dumbstruck, mouth dropping open. Finally, he found his words, “Where the hell does you come up with this shit? And if you hate your hair so much, why don’t you just cut it?” 

“Wrong!” Rosalina mimicked a buzzer sound. “You’re supposed to tell me how nice my hair looks, and that I shouldn’t even think about cutting it! Come on, Dixon, you need to work on your gentleman skills.”

He scoffed a laugh. “I don’t think anyone’s ever called me a gentleman in all my life.”

Rosalina nudged him, sitting down on the top of the bus. Reluctantly, Daryl did the same, not able to stand the way she simply sat staring up at him with her lips pursed. “Well, we can soon change that. First things first, a gentleman always lets a lady fight her own battles because he knows she can hold her own, but will always be there with a helping arrow if necessary. Speaking of, here’s yours back.”

She withdrew it from the waistband of her jeans, and Daryl wondered how she’d manage to forgotten it was there given the sharp point that must’ve dug into her back. “Second thing, a gentleman does not mock a lady’s height, no matter if she be six foot or say, I don’t know, five foot three. It’s rude, impolite, and he will end with a bloody nose, as many gentlemen have learnt in the past.”

Wincing at the memory, Daryl felt the bump in his nose with his right hand. “I can’t believe you broke my fucking nose because I called you a short arse. That hurt like a bitch.”

“Pussy,” She scoffed, but there was a smile on her lips. “Third, a gentleman always accepts food when offered it by a kind lady who has done her friend a favour and foraged something for him. Hi Carol!”

Daryl shot the younger woman a glare before leaning over the edge of the bus, seeing Carol stood there with a plate of berries and scrap pieces of meat. “Rose told me you pushed half your food onto her plate when you thought she wasn’t looking, so I put this up for you. I know it’s not much, but I know you won’t eat otherwise.”

Nudging Rosalina’s arm, Daryl leant over, taking the plate from Carol’s out-stretched arm. He and Rosalina both lay flat on their stomachs beside one another, leaning over to talk to Carol. “Yeah, I guess little Shane over there’s got quite the appetite.”

“Don’t be mean.” Carol chastised, but there was a smile on her lips. Rosalina meanwhile tapped the back of his head with her hand, shaking her head disapprovingly. “Y’know, Rick’s gotten us a lot further than I ever thought he would, I’ll give him that, even if he has had a little help from you, Rose. Shane could never have done that.”

The pair on the bus both saw Carol wince, rolling her shoulder back. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s that rifle,” She said in response to Daryl’s question, pressing her hand to the joint where her shoulder joined her neck. “The kickback. I’m just not used to it.”

Neither of them replied, and then Rosalina felt Daryl inch away from her, swinging his legs around and jumping from the bus, landing with a muffled thud next to Carol. “Come on.”

She watched with thinly concealed envy as he pressed his hands against her shoulder, starting to massage the aching muscle. Her heart pushed up into her throat, and she was quick to jump down, making her excuses to leave before she started running her mouth in the irritating way she always did. “I think Beth is calling me over, I better go check it out. You guys have fun!”

Daryl watched, startled, as she jogged over to camp without a backwards glance, his hands freezing on the guilty looking Carol’s shoulder. “She’s going to hate my guts now.”

“Why?” Daryl asked, confused as he stepped back from the woman, watching Rosalina settled down close next to Beth. He saw her lean close, whispering in her ear, and a second later both girls turned back to look at the two, flinching away when they realised he was already watching. “What did you do?”

“Oh no, it’s what you did, and I’m going to get the blame for,” Carol stepped away, turning to laugh at the oblivious man stood next to her. “It’s pretty romantic out here. What were you and Rose going to do? Have some fun? Screw around a little?”

He stared at her as though she had gone mad, unused to such confidence from Carol. “What?”

She laughed again, shaking her head. “Just don’t show too much attention to another woman when your girl is right there. We don’t like that at all.”

As Carol started to walk away, Daryl called after her, “She’s not my girl.”

He didn’t hear Carol’s mutter of disbelief. “Then you clearly haven’t been paying attention.”

Rosalina stiffened when she caught sight of Carol and Daryl both wandering back towards camp, one after the other. She dropped her head into Beth’s lap, the younger girl’s hands immediately working their way into her hair, beginning to braid the growing curls into a plait. “Beth, sing Paddy Reilly for me. I haven’t that one I think since your mother was alive.”

Hershel’s request made Maggie ask quietly, “Daddy, not that one please.”

He paused, before nodding in understanding. “How about, uh, Parting Glass?”

Rosalina turned in Beth’s lap so that she was looking up at her properly, a smile on her face. “I think I know that one. Old man Morris in the pub used to request it on Tuesday nights. How’d it go? Erm, hold on.”

Seeing Rosalina’s struggle, Beth embarrassedly began to sing the lyrics, Rosalina quickly joining in as she recalled the words of the old song. “Of all the money e’er I had I spent it in good company. And all the harm that e’er I’ve ever done. Alas it was to none but me and all I’ve done for want of wit, to memory now I can’t recall. So fill to me the parting glass. Goodnight and joy be with you all.”

Rosalina’s deep, soulful voice mixed with Beth’s sweet, smooth one created a harmonious sound that traveled across the field, bringing Carol and Daryl closer to the actual camp, and even Rick from where he had been making constant rounds of the perimeter, caught by the beautiful singing of the two young women. 

Seeing Beth falter at the second verse, Maggie joined in, the three singing together with smiles. “Oh all the comrades that e’er I had, they’re sorry for my going away. And all the sweethearts that I e’er had, they would wish me one more day to stay. But since it falls unto my lot that I should ride and you should not. I’ll gently rise and I’ll softly call, goodnight and joy be with you all.”

They finished, Rosalina’s eyes flittering up to Daryl’s as Hershel told them, “Beautiful.”

Daryl’s usually hard expression had softened, enough for Rosalina to see a small smile pulling up on the corner of his mouth, the one she had secretly named in her head as her favourite smile of his. It was the one he got when everything was quiet and peaceful, and he didn’t have the weight of the world on his shoulders. 

Every time he directed that smile at her, she felt her stomach erupt into butterflies, a sense of pride filling her. She smiled back, looking away when Rick suggested softly, “We should all turn in. I’ll take watch over there. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

From beside him, Carl asked. “What do you mean?”

Rick seemed almost apologetic as he began to explain his plans for the day to come. “Look, I know we’re all exhausted. This was a great win. But we gotta push just a little bit more. Most of the walkers are dressed as guards and prisoners. Looks like this place fell pretty early. Could mean the supplies may be intact.”

Catching on, Rosalina summarised. “You want to set up in the actual prison.”

He nodded. “You know this place better than any of us. Is it worth breaking into?”

She sighed, sitting up and running her hand through her hair, feeling the braid Beth had made and avoiding pulling it out. “If it hasn’t been ransacked all ready, then there’s an infirmary, a commissary and the canteen. I never got to know much of the layout because I was just a visitor sat up in a makeshift office, but I think Andy once mentioned an offsite armoury. If I am right, it’ll be around here somewhere, the exact location would be in David’s-, the Warden’s office.”

Rick grew excited hearing her list the numerous supplies the prison could provide them with. “Weapons, food, medicine, this place could be a gold mine.”

“Rick, you must realise that what we killed today isn’t even half the prisoners,” Rosalina leant forward, one half of her face lit up by the fire, the other hidden in the darkness. “We’re running ridiculously low on ammo as it is, and we don’t know how many walkers could be wandering around inside there.”

“But that’s why we have to go in there, for the ammo and all the other supplies,” He looked around at the rest of the group. “We have to go in there. Hand to hand. After all we’ve been through, we can handle it, I know it. These assholes don’t stand a chance.”

His comment drew a small smile from Carl, and he smiled back, standing up and walking away from the group. Lori followed him, moving as fast as she could.

“He’s right, we should all turn in,” Rosalina decided, standing up. “Mags is half gone already!”

Maggie’s head lifted up from Glenn’s legs, blinking around blearily. “No I’m not, shut up Rose.”

“That’ll be the day,” Daryl muttered, an ‘ohh’ sound being chorused by the group, followed by a joint wince when the man was hit in the head with Rosalina’s boot. Nobody had even seen her pull it off. “Fuck!”

“You deserved that.” She smirked, catching it when he threw it back over to her. “Come on, folks, off to bed with the lot of you.”

Slowly, they did as ordered, Rosalina setting her blanket and sleeping bag up in the usual place next to Beth, keeping her back turned to the group so that she could sleep without worrying about someone shoving a stick in her mouth when she started talking-something which had happened twice in the past three weeks alone, courtesy of a chuckling Glenn and T-Dog. 

She let herself drift off to sleep, grateful to be back on familiar ground once again, a relaxing sense of safety covering her as her eyes closed.


	18. Constant Vigilance, Hawkeye

Rosalina stood between T-Dog and Daryl, having opted to use purely her daggers on this run as they geared up to storm the prison. Her long hair had been pulled back into a pony-tail on the back of her head, although a few loose strands flew around her face.

The air was hot, the sort of heat that sat on your chest, stifling and hard-hitting. Although it seemed only Rosalina was the one being effected by it, wiping at the sweat on her forehead with the back of hand, the rest all stood nervously watching Rick in front of them, his hands on the clip locks that Rosalina had set on the gate the day before. “Ready?”

Nobody responded, their only answer to stand straighter, hands clenching around their weapons. Rick yanked open the locks.

T-Dog was the first inside, jamming a sharp-ended pole into the closest walker’s head, Daryl following behind him with Rosalina’s largest blade, forcing it into another rotting skull.

Rosalina pulled them both back, making them join the circle formation herself, Rick, Glenn and Maggie and created, everybody watching somebody else’s back as walkers rushed at them. Rosalina impaled two in perfect synchronisation, Maggie chopping the head of a third that was walking towards her. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” The taller girl panted out, grunting when two came towards her at once.

Rosalina pushed forward, kicking one back and puncturing it’s skull through the ear with her blade, Maggie managing to slice through the head of the other. They pressed their backs against one another, fending off walkers left and right, Rosalina ricked a glance to the side, seeing the men were struggling.

“Mags, circle around them!” Rosalina ordered, Maggie turning around to see what she meant. She quickly nodded in understanding, the pair separating and taking out the walkers on the edges of the main fight, stopping more from rushing at the men that were already battling two or more at a time. 

Seeing that they had separated from the main group, Rick called them back as he took down the last approaching walker. “Don’t break ranks. We’re almost at the door.”

“Don’t say thanks for saving your asses then.” Rosalina murmured complainingly, Maggie nodded in irritated agreement.

Together, they rejoined the group, forming a line as Rick pulled open the rusted red door to the prison building. But then Rosalina’s sharp ears picked up on the sounds of grunting and groaning.

Ducking her head around the edge of the door, she saw more walkers gathered in a separate yard area, yet to have sensed their presence. “Stop!”

Rick turned to her, following where she pointed, flattening himself against the wall when he realised the mass amount of walkers they were going to have to take on. Rosalina grew especially worried when she saw four walkers wandering towards them dressed in riot gear, armour that would be almost impenetrable for their weapons.

Proving her point, Daryl fired an arrow at the head of the closest one, only for it to bounce off the visor attached to his helmet. “Don’t use arrows, they’ll never get through. Just try to immobilise them!”

Acting as an example for Rosalina’s instructions, Rick charged forward, knocking one to the ground just as the walkers Rosalina had caught sight of from around the corner started to hungrily walk towards them. She joined Daryl in taking them down, leaving the others to stop the guards. “There’s another gate to separate them! We need to close it!”

Neither she nor Daryl had to speak to form a plan, the man automatically covering her back by firing at walkers while they ran up, Rosalina slamming the gate separating the two sections of the courtyard closed with brutal force, Rick running to her side, locking it down with another clip lock.

Running back to where the other three were still fighting off the armed guards, Rosalina grinned when Maggie drove her machete up under the helmet of the walker, piercing his brain through his throat. She stumbled back as the walker fell, looking around at the with a proud, shell-shocked smile. “Did you see that?”

But nobody had chance to congratulate her straight away, T-Dog and Glenn both copying what she had done to another guard. Rosalina and Daryl ran up behind the other two, during their blades deep into the exposed neck beneath the helmet, knocking the lifeless corpses to the floor. 

With the initial danger over, the group stepped back, panting hard and covered in the dark blood of the walkers they had killed, the yard littered with the corpses they had slain. “It looks secure.”

“Not based on that courtyard over there.” Rosalina disagreed with Glenn, nodding to where the walkers were swarming against the fence. 

Daryl pointed out a female walker he had killed, dressed in plain clothes. “And that’s a civilian.”

“She wouldn’t be able to get over here from the visitor’s entrance,” Rosalina pointed out, heaving a heavy sigh. “For all we know, the inside is compromised by walkers that have wandered in from outside the prison.”

“Well, if there’s walls down, what are we gonna do?” Glenn questioned, raising his arms up, a trail of blood drying on his neck. “We can’t rebuild this whole place.”

“We can’t risk a blind spot though,” Rick said, ignoring the rest of the group clamouring at the fence, calling to ask what was going on. “We need to push through. Rose, is there somewhere else we can enter?”

She nodded, pointing to a set of stairs that led up to a door built higher in the wall. “There. It takes you into the common area for Cell Block C.”

Rick nodded, and carefully began to lead them up the stairs, pulling open the rusted red door and coming face to face with a grey, dimly lit room. There was tables and chairs abandoned in the centre of the room, a guard tower built in the middle of the back wall, looking down on them imposingly, stairs on either side that led up to the tower entrance. 

Gesturing forward, Rick silently told them he was going to check there wasn’t any walkers left in the tower, the rest spreading out through the room, Maggie placing herself at the only other doorway, which was blocked off by a barred door that was going to budge without the keys.

Luckily, Rick reappeared out of the guard tower, holding a pair of keys. Rosalina edged her way to the door, close behind Rick as he opened it. 

They walked into the dormitory area, rows of cells lined up with beds inside and bar doors swinging open. They all advance cautiously, Rosalina making a beeline for the stairs, knowing which cell she wanted to check first.

It was on the very end of the upper level of cells, the bar door one of the few to be shut completely. As Rosalina drew closer, barely paying attention to the other cells she passed, her grip on her daggers grew tighter.

She could hear groans, the sort that haunted her worst of nightmares, and she had to pause for a moment to collect herself before coming to stand in front of the cell.

Two rotting hands reached out towards her, scrabbling in hungry desperations towards her skin. She stepped back, shaking her head with a scoff. “Jack Brown, we meet again.”

Her ex-patient opened his rotting mouth wide, growling at her, his once blue eyes replaced by a milky white coloured with yellow splashes. Her face scrunched up in disgust, slamming her dagger down into his skull, the sudden noise grabbing the attention of the rest of the group. 

Jamming her dagger into the lock, Rosalina forced it open, and T-Dog let out a yell of surprise when he narrowly missed being toppled by a dead walker flying down from above. “Sorry!”

“You will be!” He called back up, grimacing as he grabbed the walker by the feet, started to drag him out of the dormitory. 

Rick looked around him, a smile spreading across his face. “What do you think then?”

“I think,” Rosalina started, making her way back down along the balcony to the stairs. “That with a damn good clean, we can make this place habitable.”

This was all the support Rick needed, and he was soon herding the whole group into the cell block, everybody holding on tight to their things as they took in the grim room around then, Daryl muttering a sarcastic, “Home sweet home.”

“For the time being, yes.” Rick nodded, Rosalina the last to walk through the door, Chess walking close to her legs. He clearly wasn’t impressed by his new home, pushing firmly against Rosalina, who couldn’t pick him up to comfort him as her arms were full of bags.

“Is it secure?” Lori asked, Rosalina calling up to answer.

 

“This cell block is, we’ve yet to scout out the rest of the prison. But those doors will hold of any walkers that are still around,” She smiled sarcastically, raising an eyebrow as she looked around her. “So while it may not exactly boost morale, this room is safe.”

“In the morning, we’ll find a cafeteria and infirmary.” Rick decided.

In front of Rosalina, Beth asked uncertainly, glancing around them,  “We sleep in the cells?”

Rick tried to comfort her by flashing the keys he’d stolen from a guard, Rosalina’s own pair that she’d swiped from one of the corpses outside weighing heavily in her pocket. “I have a pair of keys from a guard. Daryl and Rose each have their own pair too.”

“I ain’t sleeping in no cage,” Daryl said firmly, eyeing the cells warily, nodding his head to the end of the balcony. “I’ll take the perch.”

The group started to decide on their own bunks, Rosalina following after Daryl up the stairs, a smirk playing on her lips. “So, you’re in the perch, huh?”

Daryl took the stairs two steps at a time, reaching the top to turn back and open his arms wide at her. “Yeah, so what?”

He didn’t trust her smirk. “No reason. You could say that you’re almost like a hawk, with your perch, watching over us all. And, that’s kind of ironic really as you shoot arrows, and who else do I know that shoots arrows and is like a hawk.”

“I swear to god if you bring up some comic book character right now, I’m going to lodge one of these arrows through your head.” Daryl threatened warningly, tossing his stuff down. But there was an amused glint in his eyes that kept Rosalina from being concerned. 

Rosalina laughed quietly to herself, shaking her head, dropping her own things in the cell next to Daryl’s perch. “Fine, fine. I won’t compare you to everybody’s favourite Avengers member, the witty, the sarcastic, the best shot in the land-”

“Don’t say it.”

“The one and only, Hawkeye,” She mimicked jazz hands, a grin on her face as she winked at the weary Daryl. “Ugh, you’re so boring. Cheer up, love, we found somewhere to sleep with what look like relatively comfortable mattresses. And only half of them are covered in blood! I call that a win.”

“I call that gross.” Daryl muttered, but she wasn’t paying attention.

Placing her bags in the corner, she spun around, dropping down on the mattress on her bunk.

“Oh,” She moaned, the noise making Daryl start suddenly, a warmth stirring low in his stomach. “My god, this is the most comfortable thing I’ve slept on since I got shot! Oh, it’s heavenly!”

From the other side of the room, clearly testing out her own bunk, Beth called up to Rosalina. “Isn’t it? I feel like I’m at home again!”

“They are surprisingly comfortable for prison mattresses!” Carol joined in from her own cell, and Daryl just snorted at the bizarreness of their wide-spread conversation, dropping his head down on his pillow and pulling Rosalina’s most hated poncho up over his body. 

“I might actually sleep tonight!” T-Dog agreed, groaning blissfully as his back melted against the mattress, ignoring the bloodstain in the corner-a minor inconvenience really. 

“Guys, prisoners officially had a more comfortable mattress to sleep on than I did the entire time I was at Uni!” Rosalina informed them all, scattered laughter echoing off the grey cell block walls.

Forcing herself to sit up, Rosalina rolled her eyes at the sight of Daryl lying on the hard ground, standing up and reaching to the top bunk. Yanking the mattress from the bed, she dragged it over to the man, kicking him gently to get him to look up at her. “Get up, idiot. You’ll give yourself a bad back sleeping on the floor like that, and as good as we all know you are at giving massages, it’d be better to avoid it altogether.”

The others were quickly finding issues with sleeping so close together in one room, that being they could hear everything. This meant they could all clearly hear the resentment in Rosalina’s voice when she made her cutting remark. In her own cell, Beth bit down on her lip to stop from laughing.

“I’m fine.” Daryl insisted, pretending he wasn’t fazed by the sharpness of her voice. 

Rosalina, inwardly cursing herself to letting her annoyance slip through, scoffed. “Come on, don’t try and play it tough. Just take the mattress.”

“I’m fine.” Daryl repeated again, growing irritation in his tone.

But Rosalina ignored him, tossing the mattress at his side, tilting her head and asking gently, “Please? Just do it?”

He glared, lifting himself up and onto the mattress, raising his finger to hush her when a smile grew on her face. “Not a word. I’m just doing this to stop you annoying the fuck outta me.”

“Sure you are, love,” She grinned, feeling a happy warmth spreading in her body, unable to help the pride that came from her control over the stubbornness member of the group. “Sure you are.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The group stood, scattered in and around Rosalina’s cell room, watching with tilted heads and curious expressions mixed with disbelieving stares as the girl slept soundly on the bed, ignoring the fact there was a cat licking her face and a young teenager sat on her stomach, oblivious to the poking fingers of the bravest of the group.

“Do you think she’s in a coma?” Glenn suggested, and he was only half-joking.

“Should I sit on her too?” Beth asked, nodding to where Carl had tried to wake Rosalina up by cutting off her oxygen supply. 

Daryl shook his head, sat with his knees pulled up against his chest on against the wall of her cell, watching Rosalina with a smirk. “No point. She won’t wake up until she wants to.”

“He’s right, she did this before back when we slept in that barn in December,” Maggie nodded, watching T-Dog jab her face hard, jumping back when she stirred, only to roll onto her other side, knocking Carl off her stomach and onto the floor with a thump. “Eventually Dusty woke up and starting pining for a walk so she had to get up.”

“Anybody got a horse spare?” Carol joked, but there was only weak laughter.

The group still felt bad for the loss of Dusty, or more the impact it had on Rosalina. It was the most scared any of them had been that she was going to leave the group, once and for all, and none of them wanted to see that happen. 

“Ugh,” Rosalina groaned, and they all held their breath, watching anxiously as she rolled over onto her back and slowly sat up, peering around at them all with sleepy, confused eyes. “Good morning to you all too?”

T-Dog stood back up, holding his hands up. “Alright, that’s officially an hour, who called it?”

“Me!” Maggie laughed, smiling at Glenn’s glare. “Come on, you didn’t really think it would take half an hour to wake her up? You were with me at the barn!”

“Yeah, but I thought if we sent Daryl in first it made perk her up a bit.” He muttered miserably, the rest of the group quickly pretending they hadn’t heard his words when Rosalina suddenly snapped fully awake, her eyes narrowing into a piercing glare.

“Excuse me for enjoying an actual mattress!” She stood up, crossing her arms over her chest. “You know, it’s actually a little creepy that you’re all just stood around watching me? I thought we set some boundaries about this sort of things when Daryl and T-Dog thought it would be funny to join in when I was accidentally singing in my sleep? Or was a black eye not clear enough of a message?”

“Hey, I got the message!” T-Dog stepped as far back as he could from the younger woman, edging out of the cell and stumbling into the balcony railings. “Just following the boss’ orders and trying to wake you up!”

“We need you up and ready to take us through the prison,” Rick nodded, Rosalina groaning as she stood up, stretching her arms out and running a hand through her hair. “You’re the only one who knows the lay out.”

“Alright, just give me five minutes,” She said, yawning. “I’m still half-asleep.”

“Alright, show’s over folks.” Daryl grunted, pushing off the wall and leaving the still sleepy Rosalina to blankly stare at the rest until they followed his movements.

Within ten minutes, Rosalina was glancing over the array of weapons gathered on the table. On her left, naturally, was Daryl, admiring a guard’s helmet they’d pilfered. On her other side was T-Dog, holding his shotgun tight, muscles tensed and face grimly set ready for the task ahead. Rick and Hershel stood opposite, debating which of the stolen weapons would be best to take with them.

“I ain’t wearing this shit.” Daryl decided when a splatter of blood dropped from the helmet he was holding, jumping out of the way for it to hit Rosalina’s tough boots instead. She stared down, looking up at Daryl with a cutting glower. 

“We could boil them?” T-Dog suggested as Daryl shrugged apologetically at Rosalina, holding up a piece of armour that was dripping with rotted walker flesh. Rosalina grimaced, taking a step away from him.

“There ain’t enough firewood in the whole forest, no,” Daryl shook his head, seeing Rosalina’s expression and tossing the helmet down onto the table. “Besides, we got this far without them, right?”

“Famous last words,” Rosalina joked grimly, rolling her eyes when the group shot her reproachful looks. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’ll shut up!”

Before any of them could reply, Carol appeared in the door way, “Hershel? Could you come with me for a minute?”

“Is everything alright?” Rick asked concernedly, shooting a quick glare at Rosalina and Daryl when they started a mock-battle with batons. 

“Yeah, nothing to worry about.” Carol assured him with a nod as herself and Hershel left the room again.

Rick released a slow breath, shaking his head before looking back down at the table, calling over to Rosalina and Daryl, “Will you two give it a rest? We need to be focused today!”

“We are,” Rosalina grinned, ducking when Daryl aimed a controlled swing at her head, flipping him off as she straightened back up. Her own baton dropped down at her side, leaning on it like a walking cane. “We’re practicing for the walkers, and, should we come across them, ninjas.” 

There was a prolonged silence as Rick stared, exasperated, at the younger woman. Eventually, T-Dog spoke up, faking a somber expression, “Would you like us to bury you or cremation?”

“Buried at sea, please!” She grinned, playing along with his joke, taking a quick swipe at Daryl’s knees while he wasn’t paying attention. “Constant vigilance, Dixon!”

“Bitch, that fucking hurt!” He hissed, rubbing the afflicted area. Rosalina smirked.

“A lot less than a walker bite will. Now, come on, we need to take any gear that isn’t repulsive into the other room and get everyone kitted out. This is gonna be gruesome, boys.”

They did as she ordered, lugging the heavy pieces of armour into the other room for Glenn, Maggie, and Hershel to pile on, as well as themselves. Rosalina chose to remain free of the restrictive armour, like Daryl, knowing it would only slow her down-especially as it was all twice her size, and would most likely swamp her. 

“You won’t need that,” She glanced over from where she was helping T-Dog strap up in his armour, seeing Rick snatch a helmet from Carl. “Need you to stay put. We don’t know what’s in there. If something goes wrong, you could be the last man standing. I need you to handle things here.”

Carl nodded seriously, pushing the brim of his sheriff’s hat back. “Sure.”

“Lets go!” She called out, stepping back from T-Dog with a quick flash fo a smile, withdrawing her daggers. “We’re gonna want to be back here by sunset, because it’ll be dark in those corridors.”

They began to file out, Beth stopping Rosalina before she could leave with a tight hug. “Be safe.”

“Always, Lovegood.” She smiled, squeezing her frail form. When she stepped back, Beth returned her smile with a shaky one fo her own, then turning to envelope her sister in a similar embrace.

Chess ran up, nuzzling against her leg. Rosalina knelt down to give him a fuss, biting her lip nervously at the thought of leaving him behind. But it was too dangerous to bring him with her, so instead she simply brushed back the fur behind his left ear(it was his favourite spot to be scratched), and stood back up straight. 

Daryl nudged her as he passed, cocking his head to the door. “Come on, princess, you’re a tour guide for the day.”

“Just what I thought I’d be doing when I got my pHd.” She joked with a dead-pan expression, raising one eyebrow to display her sarcasm. Daryl sniggered, falling into step behind her as she pushed through the others to get to the front.

He followed her through the common room, the rest joining behind them, waiting with anticipation for Rosalina to use her keys and open the cell door into the rest of the prison. Seeing her fumble, struggling in the dimly lit room, he lifted his torch to help her out.

“Thanks.” She murmured, but her gratitude was lost in the loud creak of the door as she pushed it open. Glancing back, Rosalina started forward at Daryl’s encouraging nod, forcing down her nerves as she led the way through the dark corridors.

They found more prisoner cells, each one with a bloodied skeleton corpse laid out in front of them, clearly the prisoners disposed of by guards when they turned. “Glenn, there’s spray paint in Hershel’s bag, use it to mark an arrow on the wall so we can find our way back. This place is a maze and my memory isn’t that good.”

“Smart.” Daryl complimented in a hushed voice, coming to walk at her side, crossbow loaded and pointed forwards, waiting for an unpleasant surprises.

“I have my moments,” She teased, rolling her eyes when Maggie and Glenn startled themselves by accidentally walking into one another with their backs turns. “Guys, keep it together. Mags, I know Glenn isn’t the best looking guy, but screaming every time you see him is a bit harsh.”

“Gee, thanks!” Glenn exclaimed sarcastically, shrinking back when Rick shot him a vicious glare for the noise he was making. “Sorry, sorry.”

They pressed onwards, turning a corner to find yet another corridor left in a similar state to the one they had just walked through. Prisoners strewn across the floor in front of their cells, pools of dried blood gathered around their skulls. Rosalina grimaced, but didn’t say a word, knowing her joking would only set the rest more on edge.

At the end of the corridor, they found the passage split off into two directions, but they didn’t have chance to debate which way to go as a group of uniform dressed walkers began to amble towards them, groaning. “Go back!”

Rick, Rosalina and Daryl backed away quickly with their eyes trained on the oncoming walkers, the other four rushing down the corridor as quickly as they could. But panic had set in, no longer paying attention to the arrows and running down whatever passage was put in front of them.

“I remember this!” Rosalina yelled as they ran down a corridor, only to have to double back when Maggie let out a scream, reaching the end to find more walkers heading their way. “The canteen is around here, I’m sure of it!”

Ducking down another corridor, taking the lead again, Rosalina heard the sounds of the others following her as she led them down a series of passages, eventually ducking into an empty room when she realised she was starting to lead them in circles. Daryl, Rick, Hershel and T-Dog piled in after her, slamming the door closed and crashing down in the corner to keep out of the walkers eyeline as they stumbled past. “I’m sorry, this place is a nightmare. I can’t remember where everything goes.”

“Where are Maggie and Glenn?” Rick ignored her apology, Daryl reaching over to squeeze her arm in reassurance instead. 

She shot him a weak smile, Hershel proclaiming defiantly. “We have to go back.”

“Which way?” T-Dog asked, and all eyes turned to rest on a pale Rosalina.

“I can try,” She shrugged, pressing her lips together as she stood back up, her blades resting lightly against her thighs on her either side, clammy hands wrapped around the handles. “Do you trust me?”

Despite having ignored her earlier, Rick rose, resting a hand on her shoulder and looking her deep in the eyes. “Always. Get us back.”

She nodded, seemingly comforted by Rick’s assurance, her jaw set determinedly. “Then follow me.”

She led them back out of the room, wracking her brain hard for any memories of the maze that was the prison. She managed to recall glimpses of the journeys she had taken from the cells to the canteen and then back to her makeshift office, finding their way back to where they had come from. 

Hershel acted as the cover of the group, jogging along behind them calling out quietly for Glenn and Maggie. Rosalina didn’t even think to worry for him, acting as the tail, until they heard a blood curdling scream.

Spinning around, they found Hershel caught by a walker that they had stepped over seconds before, thinking it dead. His lower leg had been torn into, and Rosalina didn’t hesitate to throw her dagger with perfect aim into the head of the walker before it could do anymore damage.

From around the corner, Maggie and Glenn appeared, seeing Rick and T-Dog lifting the yelling Hershel up off the floor, his leg badly maimed and causing a bloody puddle to form at his feet. 

Maggie, screamed, rushing forward, Glenn cursing loudly and following. “No!”

“We need to move!” Rick yelled over the chaos, Rosalina snatching her dagger up and standing at Daryl’s side as they faced off against a sudden onslaught of walkers from where Maggie and Glenn had appeared from. “Daryl, Rose!”

“Down there!” Rosalina pointed to a third exit through a large bolted door behind them, seeing more walkers running up from the other end of the corridor. “We’re blocked off, we gotta go now!”

While Rick and T-Dog, still supporting Hershel, forced their way through the door Rosalina had pointed to, Glenn and Maggie close at their heels, Daryl and Rosalina didn't their best to keep back as many walkers as they could. “You were right, daggers take too long to pull back out!”

“You really wanna have that conversation right now?” Daryl yelled back, firing at a walker that neared dangerously close to Rosalina’s outstretched arm as she yanked her dagger back out of the skull of a walker that had swarmed towards him. “We need to go, now!”

“You don’t have to tell me!” She shouted back, and they spun around, running through the door with the walkers following, slamming it closed behind them. “Huh, the canteen.”

Rosalina had indeed managed to finally lead them into the canteen, with tables spread out in the dusty, abandoned room with a tall ceiling and barred windows on the far wall. They didn’t have time to celebrate their win, however, as Hershel was still yelling and groaning in agony where Rick and T-Dog had laid him on the floor.

“Hold the doors!” Rick ordered Rosalina and Daryl, who were already doing so, fighting back against the strength of the walkers that tried to claw their way inside as Maggie and Rick examined Hershel’s injury. 

Rick, with shaky hands, pulled his belt from around his trousers and strapped it around the top of Hershel’s calf. Maggie clutched her father’s head in her lap, clinging tightly to his hand as Rick withdrew a hatchet from his bag. “I’m sorry, it’s the only way to keep you alive.”

Unable to help herself, Rosalina gagged when Rick started to hack at the injured leg, T-Dog seeing her reaction and rushing over to help hold the door, managing to mutter out as he strained to keep the walkers back, “Don’t you get fainting on us now.”

“I’m trying.” She weakly informed him, focusing her efforts on forcing the door shut. Daryl reached his arm across the door, sliding his hand on top of her’s and nodding once. She managed a nod back, working together with T-Dog to keep the room walker free as Rick finally separated Hershel’s leg.

“He’s bleeding out.” He breathed, dropping the hatchet and leaning back on the floor. In the crying Maggie’s lap, Hershel’s head lolled, clearly having passed out from the pain. 

But nobody replied, because a tense Daryl suddenly warned, “Duck.”

He rushed forward, leaving Rosalina and T-Dog to guard the door, rising his crossbow to the metal grating that separated the canteen to the kitchen. Rosalina gasped, seeing five blue uniform clad men stood peering out at them. 

In sync, herself and one of the prisoners murmured in shock, “Holy shit.”


	19. Dr Rosie to the rescue of the innocent

“Who the hell are you?” Daryl snarled, keeping his crossbow aimed as he moved towards them.

“Who the hell are you?” One of the men shot back, but nobody answered when Rick began to panic behind them, his hands coated with red.

“He’s bleeding out!” He exclaimed, Glenn kneeling down next to him to look at the wound. “We gotta go back!”

Looking up at the towering T-Dog, Rosalina asked, “Can you hold the door?”

“I got it.” He assured her through quick short breaths. 

She nodded in thanks, jogging over to Daryl’s side in front of the door of the kitchen, keeping her eyes on the prisoners. “Come out of there, nice and slow. You lot of all people should know the drill by this point.”

They followed her orders. The first to step out was a tall, muscled hispanic man with shoulder-length dark hair that was partially pulled back in a bun. He glowered aggressively at them, especially when Daryl jabbed his crossbow forward threateningly. 

Behind him came a shorter dark-skinned man with buzzed black hair and a silver earring in one ear, keeping close to the first man. He was followed by a greasy, blonde haired white man with a curled moustache that Rosalina couldn’t help but think was a grave mistake. 

Next was a wide, broad-shouldered dark man with a shaved head and fierce expression. He walked out, stepping away from the rest of the group, casting a nervous glance over the mayhem taking place behind them. Finally, a ridiculously tall black man with a sleeve of colourful tattoos along his right arm stepped out, looking around at them in confusion, a dark beard having grown around the lower half of his face.

“What happened to him?” The first man asked, nudging his head at Hershel’s limp form, where Maggie, Glenn and Rick were working hard to keep him alive. 

“He got bit,” Daryl answered shortly, focusing his crossbow on this particular man, exclaiming loudly when the prisoner suddenly withdrew a gun from his overalls. “Hey, put the gun down, man!”

“Easy, easy.” Rosalina warned, having immediately withdrawn her own gun, still keeping one dagger in her hand as a precaution.

Glenn didn’t seem to be affected by the tense stand off between the prisoner and Rosalina and Daryl, barging past the unknown group and into the kitchen. “You got medical supplies?”

“Whoa, where you going?” The blonde man questioned, but Glenn ignored him, rooting through boxes for something to help staunch the blood flow.

“Who the hell are you people, anyway?” It was the armed prisoner to speak next, yelling at them angrily. 

“Don’t look like no damn rescue team.” The blonde man added, and Rosalina scoffed.

“That’s because we aren’t.” She informed them as Glenn rushed past with a metal trolley to transport Hershel, the five prisoners staring hard at her, recognition dawning in their eyes. 

“Dr Rosie Jones?” The tallest man questioned, and Rosalina laughed again, but there was no trace of a smile on her lips. 

“Haven’t heard that in a while,” Turning back, she saw Rick and Glenn had managed to pull the severely bleeding Hershel up onto the trolley. “We need to go, now! T-Dog, get the door!”

T-Dog nodded, breathing heavily as he sprung away from the door. The minute it opened, an armed guard stumbled inside, T-Dog able to expertly take him down. Rosalina ran over, shooting two more that threatened to push inside, leaving Daryl to guard the prisoners while Rick, Glenn and Maggie wheeled Hershel out of the room.

T-Dog quickly followed, Rosalina spinning around to yell, “Daryl, we have to go, now! Daryl!”

He listened to her, starting to edge to the door, keeping his weapon targeted on the group. Reaching the door, he slipped through, leaving Rosalina to speak to the shell-shocked prisoners. “Keep the door closed, don’t let anyone in unless you wanna get killed! We’ll be back!”

With that, she slammed it closed, rushing with Daryl, who had waited for her, to join the rest of their group.

They ran down the darkened corridors, the only sounds being the clanging of Hershel’s makeshift gurney and the slamming of feet on concrete. Catching sight of an arrow on a wall, Daryl took the lead, “Come on!”

Rosalina was close at his side as they pushed back to C block, kicking down any walkers who dared advance towards them. When they turned the corner to the barred door of their base, she turned back to allow the others to rush through first, catching sight of five approaching figures at the end of the corridor. “Daryl.”

He turned, seeing what she was staring at immediately and pulling her through the cell door, slamming it closed behind them and locking it. “Don’t let them in.”

“Wasn’t planning on it.” She assured him, the pair jogging after the others towards the dorms. 

Rick, Maggie and Glenn pushed the injured Hershel through into the dormitory, hearing the shocked screams of those who had stayed behind. Rosalina didn’t bother following them through, slamming the door separating the two rooms closed, locking it and turning to T-Dog and Daryl. “Those prisoners followed us up here, we can’t let them in there with the others.”

“Then lets take care of them.” Daryl nodded, opening the door they had come in through and then jumping onto a table top, aiming his arrow at the now open door. T-Dog and Rosalina shared an exasperated look before raising their own weapons, Rosalina substituting her daggers for a gun.

The first one to appear was the man who had been armed with a gun before, walking into the room, cocking his head around looking for any threats other than the three armed people before him. The others slowly followed, their eyes all coming to rest on the familiar face of Rosalina. “That’s far enough.”

The leader squared up at Daryl’s words. “Cell block C, cell four, that’s mine gringo. Let me in.”

“Today’s your lucky day, fellas,” Rosalina had to credit Daryl, he was keeping his temper well under wraps. She was impressed. “You've been pardoned by the state of Georgia. You’re free to go.”

“Whatcha got going on in there?” The same man pressed, nodding through to the dormitory. 

“Ain’t none of your concern.”

His hand was quickly on his gun, causing Rosalina to step forward, aiming for his head. “Don't be telling me what's my concern.”

“I wouldn’t if I were you.” She warned with a dangerous edge, her English accent strengthened with the threat. 

“Dude, chill out,” It was the man who had first recognised Rosalina that spoke. “Dude’s leg is messed up. Besides, you’re free now. Why we still here? I gotta check on my old lady. We are actually free, right Doctor Jones?”

“Truly.” She promised, nodding to him gratefully. 

But the leader didn’t seem to believe them. “Group of civilians and Jacko’s old shrink breaking into a prison they’ve got no business being in, got me thinking there ain’t no place for us to go.”

“Why don’t you go find out?” Daryl hissed.

The tension between the two men was setting everybody else on edge, and the blonde man spoke up calmly. “Maybe we’ll just be going now-”

“Hey, we ain’t leaving.” The leader snapped, and T-Dog moved forward angrily, gun raised. 

“You ain’t coming in, either!” He warned, and the leader’s gun moved to point at him, catching them in a gridlock situation. 

“Hey, hey!” Rosalina exclaimed, stepping up on to a table, raising her free hand up. “Calm the fuck down, all of you. We’re not firing on one another, not to just bring down a whole load of shit from out of that door!”

“This is my house, my rules!” The armed man jutted his chin up at Rosalina, and she rolled her eyes, having to jump over onto the other table when she heard Daryl growl angrily. 

She pulled his arm, seeing his fingers itching to pull the trigger on his crossbow, murmuring quietly, “Not right now. You fire on him, the rest won’t be happy. I can deal with a bit of back talking just fine.”

Without checking to see if he had calmed down, she faced the prison survivors again. “Look, we aren’t here to start a fight, we’re just protecting our own.”

“How many of you are there in there?” The leader asked, nodding to the dormitory. 

Rosalina didn’t need to answer, as Rick walked out to join them, his hands empty but his gun tucked into the waistband of his trousers. “Too many for you to handle.”

This seemed to set the man on edge, and he glanced around the room at unfamiliar men and very familiar woman. “You guys rob a bank or something? Why don’t you take him to a hospital?”

Rosalina’s eyebrows raised, pushing her shoulders back. She didn’t lower her gun, keeping it trained on the man’s head as she asked, “How long have you guys been locked in the cafeteria?”

He grew nervous, clenching his fist at his side. “Going on ten months.”

The tallest man spoke up. “Riot broke out. Never seen anything like it.”

“Attica on speed, man.” The blonde man said. 

For the first time, the shortest of the men, the one with the earring, spoke. “You ever heard of dudes going cannibal, dying, then coming back to life? Crazy.”

“One guard looked out for us, locked us up in the cafeteria, told us to sit tight, threw me this piece, said he’d come right back.” The leader informed them.

Rosalina swallowed a lump in her throat as the man with the shaved head said, “Yeah, and that was two hundred and ninety-two days ago.”

“The gun,” She started, ignoring Daryl when he shot her a questioning look at her quiet voice. “Are there initials engraved on the handle?”

“Yeah,” The blonde nodded. “HG. You knew him?”

“Shut up.” The armed man snarled at him, clearly not encouraging of small talk.

Eyes fluttering closed for a moment, Rosalina recollected her emotions as the tall man started talking again. “We’ve been thinking that the army or the national guard should be showing up any day now.”

Rick was the one to deliver the grave news to them, keeping it blunt. “There is no army. There’s no government, no hospitals, no police. It’s all gone.”

“Welcome to the damn apocalypse, boys.” Rosalina murmured, and they all stared at her with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“For real?” The blonde asked. 

“Yep,” Seeing the shock in their faces, she couldn’t help but feel guilty. “I’m sorry.”

“What about my mom?” The toughest, tallest man asked, staring down at the floor blankly. 

“What about my kids? And my old lady?” The shaved haired man questioned, Rosalina feeling her heart break for the group who were discovering the life altering news. “Yo, you got a cell phone or something that we can call our families?”

It didn’t seemed to have fully hit them that was Rosalina had said was no exaggeration, the apocalypse really did mean the apocalypse. Hopping down from the table, Daryl scoffed. “You just don’t get it, do you?”

“There are no phones, no computers,” Rosalina tried to be gentle, Daryl reaching a hand up to help her down from the table, dropping down with a soft thud between him and Rick. “As far as we can tell, half the population, maybe even more, have been wiped out. There’s only handfuls of survivors rocking around, and we’re some of the lucky few.”

They stared on, the leader scoffing in disbelief. “Ain’t no way.”

“See for yourself,” Rick decided, leading the way across to the door outside. “Rose, Daryl, T-Dog, come on.”

Rosalina ran up to join Rick at the top of the stairs, the prisoners sandwiched between them and T-Dog and Daryl who kept closely behind them. They walked out into the sun, coming face to face with the carnage of the courtyard left by the group the day before.

“Damn, the sun feels good on my face.” Was the first sentence uttered by the man with an earring.

The blonde man, who Rosalina finally remembered was called Axel, seemed more taken aback by the corpses scattered around him. “They’re all dead.”

“You never said,” It was the shortest man who turned to the four. “How did you get in here in the first place?”

“Cut a hole in that fence over there by that guard tower.” Daryl answered shortly, allowing the group to spread out around the courtyard, using the opportunity to move and stand protectively next to Rosalina again, jutting his head forward when the leader’s eyes rested on her.

She rolled her eyes, trying to calm the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach. “So, what is this, like a disease?”

“In summary, yes,” She nodded in answer to the tall man’s question, trying hard to remember names so that she could stop mentally referring to them in her head as ‘tall’, ‘bald’, ‘earring’ and ‘leader’. “And we’re all infected.”

“What do you mean infected?” Axel questioned nervously, and Rosalina gestured for Rick to answer.

He sighed, shaking his head, so Daryl took it upon himself to deliver a more gruesome explanation. “If I was to kill you, shoot an arrow in your chest, you’d come back as one of these things. It’s going to happen to all of us.”

There was a somber moment of silence as grim realisation set in for the prisoners, broken by the leader arguing. “Ain’t no way this Robin Hood’s cat’s responsible for killing all these freaks. Must be fifty bodies out here. Where’d you come from?”

“Atlanta.” Rick answered.

“Where you headed?” The leader pressed, slowly stalking up to Rick. Rosalina’s grip tightened on her gun. 

But Rick didn’t back down, squaring up against the man. “For now, nowhere.”

Sensing they wouldn’t back down for a fight, the leader paused, standing in place as he said, “I guess you could take that area down there near the water. Should be comfortable.”

“We’re using that field for crops.” Rick told him calmly.

“We’ll help you move your gear out.”

“Hey,” Rosalina started, pulling her arm from Daryl when his fingers brushed against her, ready to pull her back when the leader’s hostile eyes turned on her. “We worked hard killing all these walkers. We risked our lives for this prison, and we aren’t giving it back. It’s ours.”

“She’s right.” Rick agreed. 

But the leader and his right hand man with an earring didn’t seem to agree, the latter of the two stepping forward to stand with his friend. “You snatched the locks off our doors.”

“We’ll give you new locks if that’s how you want it.” Rick replied sarcastically, and Rosalina had to hold back a smirk. This was the Rick she missed since they’d gone out on the road.

“This was our prison first.” The leader held his arms out challengingly.

“Locked in a broom closet?” Rick scoffed. “We took it, set you free. It’s ours. We spilled blood.”

The leader didn’t seem spooked, insisting, “We’re moving into our cell block.”

“You’ll have to find your own.”

He spat to the side, Rosalina’s nose crinkling in disgust. “It is mine! I’ve still got personal artefacts in there. That’s about as mine as it gets!”

As he finished his statement, he angrily withdrew his gun again, setting everyone off. Daryl and T-Dog both started forward with their weapons raised, and Rosalina had her gun trained on the centre of his forehead before he’d even had chance to glance around. “Whoa, whoa! Maybe let’s try to make this work out so everybody wins.”

“I’m with Axel on this one.” Rosalina nodded to the man, who seemed surprised she’d remembered his name. 

“I don’t see that happening.” The leader denied.

“Me neither.” Rick confirmed, and Rosalina held back a groan.

“I ain’t going back in that cafeteria for one more minute.” Axel faced the armed man, speaking rationally.

“There are other cell blocks.”

But Daryl wasn’t impressed with the idea of sharing the prison, hissing at them, “You could leave. Try your luck out on the road.”

The leader stared around at them all, the tense silence making Rosalina nervous. Finally, he gestured around at the four. “These four pussies can do all this, least we can do is take out another cell block. Atlanta here will sport us with some real weapons. Won’t you boss?”

“Depends,” Rosalina took over, and by the sharp glare she shot at the man, she clearly wasn't happy about having been called a ‘pussy’. “Want to make a fair trade? How much is left in the cafeteria? They stock it up to last for months, I know that much. So how much have you left for us to share between us?”

“There’s only a little left.” The leader told her firmly.

She smiled. “Then we’ll take half. In exchange for the food, we’ll help you five clear out another cell block.”

“Didn’t you hear him?” The right hand man shot at Rosalina, making her raise one eyebrow dangerously. As he finished his sentence, his tone became more respectful, surprising the three members of the group. “There’s only a little bit left.”

“I heard him loud and clear, and I know you heard me too,” Her democracy skills were rusty, but clearly working, as they could all see the cogs turning in the leader’s head as he considered their options. “You help us out, we’ll help you out. It’s a fair deal.”

“All right.” He agreed, nodding.

Rick spoke up. “But let me be clear. If we see you out here, anywhere near our people, if I so much as catch a whiff of your scent, I will kill you.”

The leader didn’t back down when the taller man got in his face, looking him straight in the eye to agree, “Deal.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Alright, alright, I think I’ve got it,” Rosalina started, breaking the silence that had descended on them while walking back through the corridors to the cafeteria, all eyes turning to look at her expectantly. “I already remembered Axel because I used to joke about Axel Rose from Guns ‘n’ Roses, but I’ve been struggling with the rest of you.”

She pointed to earring. “Andrew?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He joked, a hint of a smile on his face until his leader glared at him.

Next was the man with a shaved head, who’d been worried about his wife and kids earlier. “Oscar?”

He nodded, unafraid of the smile he gave her. She returned it, ignoring Daryl’s glare, turning to the tallest man. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember your actual name, I was only ever told to call you Big Tiny.”

“Big Tiny works just fine, Dr Rosie.” He grinned kindly, and Rosalina was touched by his sweetness, allowing her expression to soften. Beside her, Daryl scoffed.

“Big Tiny it is then. And of course, last and least, we have Tomas,” The leader gave her the finger from where he led the group, and she only laughed. “I knew I’d remember eventually. I’m pretty good with names.”

“We never even spoke before, how the fuck do you know my name?” Tomas hissed at her, and when he turned his head back to look at her, she was wearing a sweet verging on deadly smile.

“Guards talk, Tommy,” They reached the cafeteria again, T-Dog and Rick pulling open the doors and stepping inside first. “I know a lot more about you guys than you might want me too.”

All those watching could’ve sworn they saw Tomas shiver under Rosalina taunting stare, watching him with thinly concealed smirks when he faced forward again and starting to storm across to the back of the cafeteria. “Pantry’s back here.”

“You never tried to break out of here?” T-Dog asked, looking around at the grimy room. 

Oscar shook his head. “We tried to take the doors off. But if you make one peep in here, then those freaks would be lined up outside the door, growling, trying to get in. Windows got bars on there that He-Man couldn’t get through.”

“Bigger than a five by eight.” Axel added.

“Won’t find me complaining,” Big Tiny said, looking to Rosalina as he spoke, clearly comforted by a familiar calming presence. “Doing fifteen. My left leg can barely fit on one of those bunks.”

“Yeah,” Oscar laughed. “They don’t call him Big Tiny for nothing.”

From where he stood next to the pantry, Tomas called over. “You done jerking each other off? I’m sick of waiting back here.”

Silence descended over them all, a mixture of irritation and acceptance on the prisoner’s and group’s expressions. As they moved to follow him into the pantry, Rosalina leaned over to Oscar, joking quietly, “You hold him down, I’ll cut off his stupid man-bun?”

“Man-bun?” Oscar laughed, a grin on his face as he looked down at the shorter girl. “I ain’t never heard that one before.”

“You won’t again if I get near him with a pair of scissors.” She smirked. Both T-Dog and Big Tiny sniggered, a proud smile growing on Rosalina’s face, only to be wiped away when Daryl barged through her and Oscar to get in front. 

Rolling her eyes, she resisted the urge to call him out on his actions, instead sharing a knowing look with T-Dog.

Inside the pantry, they found Tomas stood leaning against a set of shelves, each section rammed with bags and tins of food. Rosalina’s stomach growled, her mouth watering with hunger-it had been a while since she’d seen so much food in one place. 

Daryl seemed to be thinking the same, muttering to Tomas, “This is what you call a little food?”

“It goes fast.” The man shot back sharply, following the redneck with his eyes as he edged into the room, looking through the shelves. “You can have a bag of corn, some tuna fish-”

“We agreed half.” The cutting tone of Rick and Rosalina’s voices that sounded in unison forced Tomas to stop, turning to glare between them.

Rosalina and Rick refused to look at one another in embarrassment, Rick going as far as to turn his back on the group and focus his attention on a large steel door. “What’s in here?”

“Don’t open that.” Big Tiny warned, but it was too late. 

Rick pulled open the door, revealing a stench that forced those nearest to gag and retch, Rosalina in particular reacting badly. Her hand shot up to cover her mouth and nose, resisting the urge to turn back and kick the door shut. Rick did it for her, slamming it closed with an echoing bang, turning to glower at Tomas as he snickered. “You wanted to know.”

“Can’t wait for my own pot to piss in.” Axel muttered, revealing what was inside the foul smelling room-the men’s makeshift toilet. 

“You know what,” Rosalina started, looking particularly queasy. “My appetite for all this glorious food seems to have dramatically disappeared. Thanks a lot, general.”

“Believe me, I’m sorry.” Rick apologised sincerely, his nose still crinkled up in disgust. The mis-matched group all chuckled, even Daryl managing a smirk when he glanced over at the weakly giggling Rosalina. 

He shook himself out of it, turning his back on her and grabbing a box from the side. “Alright, lets pack up.”

Within half an hour, the four had transported the boxes of food back to the dormitory, where an excited Carl had greeted them and eagerly began to unpack while the traipsed back with tools to help the five prisoners clear out another cell block.

Tomas didn’t seem impressed with the pick-axe Rick handed him, turning it over in his hands. “Why do I need this, when I’ve got my gun?”

Daryl snorted, shaking his head as though the man was stupid. “You don’t fire guns. Not unless your back’s up against a wall. Noise attracts them. Really riles them up.”

His words of warning seemed to make an impact on Tomas, who silently slid his gun further back in the waistband of his jumpsuit. Rick took the silence as his moment to explain the plan. ‘We’ll go in two by two where we can. Daryl will run point with T and Rose. I’ll bring up the rear with you,”

He pointed to Andrew, who nodded. “Stay tight, hold formation, no matter how close the walkers get. Anyone breaks ranks, we could all go down. Anyone runs off, they could get mistaken for a walker, end up with an axe in the head.”

“That’s where you aim,” Rosalina added, sat cross legged on the table in front of Daryl, sharpening her blades with one of her knives. “You can knock them down, but the only way they’re staying down is with a shot to the head.”

“You ain’t got to tell us how to take out a man.” Tomas informed her cockily.

“They ain’t men,” T-Dog’s voice was grave, unimpressed by the light way Tomas was reacting to the situation. “There something else.”

“Just remember to go for the brain,” Rick finalised. “Lets go.”

Rosalina slid off the table, falling into step between T-Dog and Daryl, leading the way out into the endless maze of corridors. She was set further and further on edge the longer they travelled, resisting the urge to hum to try and calm herself down. 

They came to another corner, Daryl pushing her back with one arm as he edged around, checking for threats before letting the rest if them walk on. “Man, it’s too dark in here.”

Oscar, proving Daryl’s words, tripped up into Rosalina, almost taking them both down. Luckily, she managed to steady herself, one hand flying out to rest on the wall, keeping them both upright. “Sorry, I can’t see shit in here.”

“Don’t worry about it,” She gave him a reassuring smile, which he could barely see in the dim lighting, “Keep that axe raised though. If a walker’s coming at you, you need to be able to attack immediately.”

He did as she ordered, the group counting to walk down the corridor. It was only as they reached the other end that they heard distant pattering footsteps, Daryl raising one hand to pull them to a stop, spying a shadow on the wall opposite, a figure approaching from around the corner. 

One walker rounded the corner, followed by another. Rosalina raised her dagger ready, Daryl doing the same with his crossbow and Rick and T-Dog their batons. But, before they could act, the five prisoners charged forward yelling out their war-cries, weapons raised, viciously beating the two walkers.

None of them seemed to have paid attention to the warnings about only aiming for the head, Axel pulling a knife out of his sock and repeatedly stabbing one walker while Big Tiny held it’s arms behind it’s back. Tomas, Andrew and Oscar worked over the other one, slamming their weapons down onto the walker.

Rosalina, quickly growing bored of their theatrics, rolled her eyes as she strode forward. One eye closed, she aimed her dagger to the left of Axel’s head, throwing it with force. It embedded itself perfectly into the skull of the walker, making both Axel and Big Tiny freeze, staring at her with shock. 

She mimed a curtsy, rolling her eyes as she spun around, and in one swift movement bent down to stab the final walker through the head. “Amateurs.”

Grabbing her other dagger back up, she wiped the blood off on her jeans, shaking her head. “Did you purposely ignore me when I said take out the head, or are you just plain stupid? We don't have time for your little anger management sessions, boys, all that noise is just going to bring more of them out here.”

“She’s right,” Daryl agreed, the trio of men who had stood to the sidelines just watching with smirks as Rosalina schooled the five prisoners finally stepping forward. “Lets go.”

They fell quickly back into formation, the five prisoners casting sheepish, peeved glances at Rosalina’s back. She could feel their glowers, but ignored them, knowing what she had done was right. And besides, the smirk Daryl had shot her when she glanced at him after Tomas murmured angrily about a ‘dumb bitch’ was worth all the glares in the world. 

It didn’t take long for them to come across another walker, and Daryl took the lead as teacher this time. “It’s gotta be the brain. Not the stomach, not the heart, the brain.”

He shot the first walker through the head, another turning the corner to face them. Axel nodded. “I hear you, the brain.”

Oscar rushed forward, sharply stabbing the walker through the head and quickly retreating to rejoin the group. “Like that?”

“Exactly.” Rosalina confirmed, nudging Daryl when he pushed heavily against her. He shot her a helpless look, gesturing to how he was trapped between her and the wall, all five of the prisoners having broken the formation to step forward to the front line.

She tried hard to ignore the feel of his exposed skin pressing against hers, the warmth of his contrasting nicely against the coldness of hers. Instead she focused on Axel when he rushed forward to push his pole through another walker’s eye as it stumbled towards them. “You’re getting it now.”

Rick took out the final walker that approached them, pushing the prisoners back, giving Rosalina and Daryl some breathing room. But the minute she moved away, he pushed back against her, his presence less dominating now but still dangerously close, enough that she could hear his harsh breathing. “Stay in tight formation. No more prison riot crap.”

More walkers began to approach, and together, as a united group, the seven took them down, unaware of a nervous Big Tiny backing away.

Just as Rosalina took out a particularly tall prison walker, they heard an agonised yell.

Spinning around, Rosalina and Rick were the first to turn the corner and see a panicked Big Tiny trying to take on two walkers at once and failing. Having become an old hand at throwing daggers by this point, Rosalina took out the one closest to them, bullets flying past her form to kill the other. 

She found it was Tomas who had fired, but didn’t have time to reprimand him, as Big Tiny drew his hand away from where he had been clutching his back, revealing blood. She and Rick exchanged a short, concerned look.

“Hey, big guy, mind showing me your back?” She asked as gently as she could. The rest of the group turned the corner to see what was happening, wordlessly watching as Big Tiny faced the wall for Rosalina to see his back. 

There were three large scratches, clearly the work of a walker. “I’m telling you, I don’t feel anything.”

Big Tiny’s panic to assure them did nothing to remove the grim expressions on Rick, Rosalina, Daryl and T-Dog’s faces. Rick was the first to speak, “I’m sorry, man.”

“I can keep fighting!” Big Tiny insisted, and Rosalina felt genuine remorse for the man. He was a criminal, yes, but she knew a good man when she saw one, and he was. 

“You cut that old guy's leg off to save his life!” Andrew pointed out desperately, not wanting to lose his friend. 

“Look at where the bite is!” Rick shot back, stating the obvious.

“Guys, I’m fine!” Big Tiny exploded. “I’m...I’m just fine. Look at me. I’m not changing into one of those things.”

Oscar nodded. “Look man, there has to be something we can do. We can just lock him up, quarantine him.”

The suggestion spurred Andrew on. “Yeah, come on, man, we gotta do something! Why aren’t you doing anything?”

“There’s nothing we can do.” Rick denied bluntly. 

Andrew wouldn’t accept this. “You son of a bitch.”

Suddenly, shocking them all, Big Tiny crashed to the floor, Tomas standing behind him with a pick axe, which he repeatedly began to slam into the dead man’s head. Rosalina grimaced, grabbing the attacking man’s arm after the third swing. “Hey! Have some respect, he’s dead, leave him alone!”

Behind her, Daryl glanced at T-Dog, both of them taken aback by the sudden turn of events, and the calm way Rosalina had handled it. It was unlike her to be so detached, not lashing out to attack Tomas for his cold and brutal attack. 

Tomas himself stared down at her, panting heavily, Big Tiny’s blood splattered over his face and body. He pulled his arm from her grip, storming away down the corridor, a tight grip on his weapon. Rosalina composed her expression, keeping a blank stare on his back as she and the rest followed, leaving Big Tiny’s battered body in the corridor. 

When he caught up with her, Daryl muttered quietly, “You alright?”

She nodded, glancing up at him, pushing her hair back when it fell like a curtain in front of her face. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You sure?” He pressed, pushing his shoulders back. “I saw your reaction after Jim so I kinda expected-”

“Daryl,” She cut him off, working hard to keep her voice soft. “I promise, I’m fine. Lets just focus on Big Tiny being the only casualty today, okay? I miss Chess so I want this over with quickly.”

He nodded, keeping silent as they continued to cautiously walk, but Rosalina didn’t fail to notice how he repeatedly glanced down at her as they walked. She hid a smile. 

They eventually found their way into a laundry room, immediately walking across to the exit doors on the far wall of the room. Rosalina didn’t bother looking over at the clothes folded up on metal racks, knowing it would only be the same blue jumpsuits the prisoner’s around her wore.

Rick came to stand in front of the doors, the others gathered around him. Tomas stood closest, furrowing his brow when Rick tossed the keys at his feet. “I ain’t opening that.”

“Yes, you are,” Rick told him. “If you want this cell block, you’re going to open that door. Just the one, not both of them, because we need to control this.”

Grudgingly, Tomas leaned down, snatching the keys from the floor. He approached the door with apprehension, struggling with the lock. Around him, the others geared up for a fight, ready for the onslaught that could attack them once the door was open. 

The click of the lock turning made Rosalina’s grip tighten, nodding when Tomas turned to ask, “You bitches ready?”

He yanked on the door, seemingly expecting a dramatic open. But he couldn’t manage it, pulling again. It didn’t open. “I got this.”

He suddenly flung both doors open, revealing a group of walkers. Rick yelled out as he flew backwards, “I said one door!”

“Shit happens!” Tomas yelled back, slamming his axe into a walker’s head.

Rosalina kicked one back as it approached her, Daryl shooting it down. Wordlessly, they worked as a team, taking down each walker that drew too close to the other, Rosalina throwing and plunging her daggers into skulls and Daryl shooting them skilfully through their heads’.

Out of the corner of her eye as she yanked her dagger back out of a walker’s skull, Rosalina saw Tomas toss a walker into Rick, knocking him to the ground. “Daryl!”

He had seen it too, twisting to pull the walker from Rick, Rosalina tossing him her dagger. He caught the handle with his right hand, driving it down into the walker’s brain, killing it instantly, tossing the dagger back to Rosalina without a pause.

She caught it, immediately turning to aim it at Tomas’ back when the onslaught of walkers finally stopped.

Rick, with the help of Daryl, stood up, squaring off against Tomas. “It was coming at me, bro.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Rick dismissed, glaring fiercely at the man. Behind him, Daryl copied Rosalina’s movements, aiming his weapon at Tomas. “I get it. Shit happens.”

A tense silence lingered, broken by the sudden movement of Rick lunging forward, forcing his knife down into Tomas’ skull, sending him down onto the floor with a yell. He dropped to the floor, landing so that his vacant eyes stared aimlessly just to the side of Rosalina. Her face scrunched up in disgust.

She didn’t have chance to say anything, however, as Andrew charged at Rick with his bat held high. Rick kicked him onto the ground without a second thought, Rosalina and Daryl aiming at him warningly. “Watch it.”

Seeing the danger around him, Andrew took off running, Rick racing after him, calling back, “I got it!”

With the pair gone, Daryl turned on Oscar. “On your knees.”

The man raised his hands up above his head, lowering himself onto the floor. Across the room, T-Dog did the same with Axel, who spoke up nervously, “We don’t have any affiliation with what just happened. Tell them, Oscar.”

The taller man just shook his head slowly, exasperated with the shorter man. “Stop talking, man.”

From where she was stood, weapons down, Rosalina murmured to Daryl, “I believe them. They haven't done anything in retaliation.”

“That ain’t a risk I’m willing to take.” Daryl shot her down, not daring to even take his eyes of Oscar to face Rosalina.

She sighed, rolling her eyes. “They’re unarmed and on their knees, they don’t pose any risk. I genuinely trust them.”

“Thanks, doc.” Axel called over, flinching back when T-Dog pressed the barrel of his gun down onto his head.

“Don’t talk.” He warned, glaring down at him.

Axel dropped his head down, Rosalina looking between him and Oscar apologetically. Oscar gave her a brief nod, reassuring her that they were fine.

After a few minutes of silence, Rick stormed back in, alone, withdrawing his gun and pointing it at Oscar as he advanced. Immediately, the man rushed to defend himself. “Hey, we didn’t have anything to do with what just happened here!”

“You didn't?” Rick repeated disbelievingly, and Rosalina was concerned by his erratic breathing. His eyes were hyper-alert, darting around every corner of the room, wide and paranoid. “You knew! Daryl, let’s end this now.”

Rick spun to aim his gun at Axel instead, who stuttered, terrified. “No, please, sir! Please, listen to me! It was him that was bad. It wasn’t us.”

“Oh, that’s convenient.” Rick snarled.

Rosalina scoffed, stepping forward. Her daggers hung down at her side, and she seemed the calmest in the room. “Rick, they had nothing to do with this, look at them. They’ve both been nothing but accommodating to our terms since the beginning.”

Axel hurried to agree with her, looking up at Rick imploringly. “You saw what he did to Tiny! He was my friend. Please. We ain’t like that. I like my pharmaceuticals, but I’m no killer. Oscar, here, he’s a B and E, and he ain’t very good at it neither. We ain’t the violent kind. They were. Please, I swear to god. I want to live.”

He was almost crying as he pleaded with Rick, and Rosalina went to step forward. But Daryl suddenly dropped his crossbow, withdrawing a knife and holding it to Oscar’s throat. She froze, staring at him with narrowed eyes, knowing the action was just to keep her from defending the two. She stepped back, jaw tight as Rick turned his gun on Oscar.

To his credit, the man stared calmly down the barrel of the gun that was pointed at his head, meeting Rick’s eyes. The only sign of his fear was his watering eyes, and the occasional twitch of his lip. “What about you?”

“I ain’t never pleaded for my life,” Oscar told him firmly. “And I ain’t about to start now. So you do what you gotta do.”

Finally, Rosalina didn’t care what Daryl had to say, moving to stand in front of Oscar, grabbing Rick’s wrist. She looked up at him, calm and restrained. He held her gaze, green eyes against brown ones. “Rick, I've worked alongside violent men and women all my life. I’ve worked among treacherous men and women all my life. These two don’t seem like either. I trust and believe them, they just want to live. Please, just trust them, for now at least.”

Rick stared at her, and for one terrifying moment Rosalina thought he might ignore her and shoot both the men and end their problems. But then, slowly, his hand lowered down, gently pulling from Rosalina’s grip. He holstered his gun, and Rosalina gave him a thankful smile, stepping out of his way so that he could speak to Oscar. “Alright, lets go.”

Grudgingly, Daryl pulled away from the man, allowing him to rise to his feet. Across the room, T-Dog did the same, and Axel stumbled upwards, immediately moving away from T-Dog and Rick, instead edging closer to Rosalina, quickly thanking her. “Thank you, seriously. Thank you, Dr Jones.”

“Can’t let two innocent men die on my watch, can I?” She smiled, seeing Oscar nod to her, showing his gratitude silently. She returned the gesture.

“Come on.” Rick ordered quietly, and Rosalina followed behind him as they left the laundry room, where bodies of walkers and Tomas littered the floor, pushing onwards to Cell Block D. 

She was all too aware of how Daryl now held back, choosing to take the rear rather than walk alongside herself and Oscar, who led the way onwards. She couldn’t deny the small drop of her heart when she turned back to look at him, only to find him staring intently at the floor. She was so used to catching his gaze on her, she didn’t realise how much she missed it. 

“Here we are.” Oscar voiced, and Rosalina saw he was right. They’d reached the end of a corridor, where a large bar door like the one in their own cell block was locked. Above, on the wall, was a large spray painted ‘D’.

Wordlessly, she pulled out her keys, opening up the door with a few attempts of the wrong keys, hearing the satisfying clang of the lock turning. She pushed inside, stepping to the side and opening her arm. “Welcome to your new home boys.”

The only two remaining prisoners stepped inside, the other four following behind them, staring around them uncertainly at the slaughter. Prisoners lay with bullet wounds in their heads outside their cells, clearly having been lined up and shot by guards when the outbreak began.

“They were good men.” Axel said sadly, Oscar nodding along in agreement. 

Rosalina dipped her head in respect, hearing Rick say from where he stood in the doorway, “Let’s go.”

“So, you just gonna leave us in here?” Oscar demanded, shaken by the bodies of his friends and prison mates around him. “Man, that’s sick.”

“We’re locking the cell block down,” Rick’s tone was uncaring, his expression blank as he shrugged. “From now on, this part of the prison is yours. Take it or leave it. That was the deal.”

He turned his back, leaving a dismayed Axel and Oscar staring after him. Daryl stepped forward, moving to follow Rick, saying to the two men, “You think this is sick? You don’t want to know what’s outside.”

“Consider yourselves the lucky ones.” Rick called back grimly, joined outside of the cell block by T-Dog, who’s expression was scrunched in disgust-the smell of the dead was particularly repugnant.

Daryl briefly glanced to Rosalina, who was stood between him and the prisoners, biting her lip guiltily as she stared around at the carnage they were leaving Axel and Oscar in. He sighed. “I’m sorry about your friends, man.”

He moved to the door, pausing when he noticed Rosalina hadn’t followed him. Looking back, he found her still staring around her, running a hand through her growing brown hair. “Rose? Come on, we’re heading back.”

There was a pregnant pause, Rosalina finally looking up at him with grim determination. Her lips were pressed together and her jaw was tight-it was an expression Daryl had grown to fear, as it was nearly always followed by Rosalina making a decision he didn’t like. “I’m staying. Just for a little while anyway. It’s not fair to make them do this alone, not when I can help.”

“Not a chance in hell,” His previously sympathetic expression was gone, his dark brown eyes flashing. Behind him, Rick and T-Dog had both paused, staring with wide eyes at Rosalina as though she had gone mad. “We’re not leaving you alone with them.”

“I’ll be fine,” She swiftly dismissed, shaking her head. Between her and Daryl, Axel and Oscar stood uncomfortably straight, staring directly ahead of them to avoid getting involved in the argument. “They won’t hurt me, and even if they tried, I’m armed.”

“How would you get back?” Daryl shot at her, jutting his chin up. Without realising, he’d stepped further into the cell block, and it was only when Rosalina took a few steps back that he realised. A sharp pang of hurt shot through his chest, confused about why she’d moved away-did she really think he’d ever hurt her? “You can’t go through the prison on your own, you’re gonna get yourself killed!”

“He’s right, Rose,” T-Dog called over with a nod. “Just come back, they can handle it.”

“But my point is they shouldn’t have too!” She pushed raising her eyebrows high. “They can escort me back and then they’ll have one another’s backs coming back here, I’ll be fine! Rick, please.”

That was a low blow and she and Daryl both knew it. Rosalina would never turn to Rick, not if Daryl was there.

Rick stared at her long and hard, finally running his hand through his hair. He then shook his head. “No, I’m sorry. Another day I might’ve said yes, but we need you back in the cell. Hershel has most of the group watching him, we might need you there to run out with Daryl is something goes wrong. I’m sorry, Rose, but we need you.”

She glowered, finally groaning and giving in. “Alright, but I plan to come back here tomorrow to make sure they’re okay. If, that’s alright with you two?”

She aimed her question to Oscar and Axel, who both nodded, the former managing a smile. “Always fun to have you around, Dr Rosie.”

Rosalina grinned. “You know it. Alright, I’ll see you guys tomorrow then.”

“Bye.” The chorused together, watching her duck around the still glaring Daryl and skip out of the cell. Daryl turned his glare on both of them, something almost animalistic in his eyes frightening them, forcing Axel to step back. Snorting, Daryl left, shutting but not locking the cell door behind him, the four leaving with only Rosalina giving a backwards glance and a wave.

Axel awkwardly returned it.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	20. Green Viper-Black Widow's British counterpart

The mood of Cell Block C was solemn when they returned, an obvious silence echoing throughout the dormitory.

Carl was quick to greet them at the door, allowing Rick to stride past him and head straight for Hershel’s recovery cell, instead falling into step next to Rosalina, speaking loud enough for all four of the returners to hear, “Hershel stopped breathing, but mum saved him.”

“It’s true.” Glenn confirmed as they neared Hershel’s cell. He was leaning against the doorway, his skin clammy and his eyes heavy. Rosalina gave him a small, comforting smile, and he managed to return it with a weak one of his own.

Despite his exhaustion, he didn’t fail to notice how Daryl kept an unusual distance from the brunette, nor how Rosalina’s shoulders were drooped and her hair was freely falling in front of her face, acting as a shield to block her view of Daryl. Catching her eye, he mouthed ‘Are you okay?’

She simply smiled again, making an effort to push her shoulders back, nodding in reassurance. ‘Fine. Small argument with Daryl.’

They continued their silent conversation, knowing everyone else was too busy nervously watching Hershel for any signs of life to pay attention to the two. ‘Want to talk about it? I could use a break.’

‘Maybe later.’ She nudged her head to where an exhausted Maggie sat on the floor beside her father’s bed, her hand tucked in his, watching him mutter random words too quiet for any of them to decipher what he was really saying. ‘She needs you here.’

Glenn nodded, and they both looked away, facing Hershel instead. Rosalina inched forward, leaning against the doorway opposite Glenn, wrapping an arm around Carl’s shoulders, who stood in front of her. In the corner stood an anxious Lori, whose eyes never strayed from Hershel’s unconscious form. Beside her, Rick seemed to be in a similar state. 

All of the watching group, however, suddenly jumped when they saw the flicker of Hershel’s eyelids. Rosalina arm dropped from around Carl’s shoulders, moving closer to the bunk as Hershel’s eyes slowly began to open. “Daddy?”

There was a clatter from the cell next door, Beth rushing in with an alert Chess clutched in her arms. Without a second thought, she tossed him to Rosalina, anxiously pushing to Maggie’s side. “Daddy?”

Hershel blearily looked up at them, and Rosalina heaved a heavy sigh of relief when he slowly began to smile. Rick hurried to unlock the handcuffs they’d used as a precaution to keep Hershel chained to the bed, a relieved smile on his face as he did. “Daddy!”

It was clear to the group, based on how Hershel didn't hurry to pull his daughter’s into a hug, that the man was still weak. But seeing him wake up, human and aware, seemed to have lifted a weight off the shoulder’s of the group. They all watched with happy smiles as he lifted his hand up to Rick, who clasped it, kneeling down at his bedside. 

They waited anxiously for him to speak, but Hershel only managed another small smile before drifting back into unconsciousness. Beth withdrew into Maggie, who kissed her forehead firmly, both crying tears of relief.

Rosalina spoke up, gently starting to pull Carl back. “Come on, folks, give them some space.”

“She’s right,” Lori agreed, smiling softly at the two sisters, who looked up at the group delirious with joy and relief. “We’ll bring you some food in later.”

“Thank you.” Maggie smiled, burying her head back into Beth’s hair.

The rest of the group cleared the cell, Rosalina gesturing with her head upstairs to her cell when Glenn glanced at her expectantly. He nodded, following her up the stairs and into the cell. 

“So, how are you doing?” She asked casually as they entered, dropping down on her bunk with a clang of metal, the bed springs bouncing up. 

Glenn managed a chuckle, sliding down against the wall opposite her. “About as well as can be expected. I would’ve had to shoot my girlfriend’s dad today if he turned, so I’m not fully over that fear yet. I haven’t slept properly in weeks and that’s starting to take it’s toll. I honestly just want to lie face down on my bed and sleep until all of this is a bad dream and I wake up in my mom’s house in Michigan with my sisters arguing in the kitchen.”

Rosalina sighed, breathing a laugh. “I know what you mean, except I’d be waking up on the sofa in my mum’s living room with my little brother tugging on my arm to watch Supernatural or Doctor Who, or even Star Trek with him. Gods, if I found him now, I’d watch every damn episode of Star Trek ever made, Next Gen and everything. He could talk for hours and I wouldn’t even care. I’d just be happy to have him.”

“You never said you had a brother,” Glenn murmured softly, sympathy reflected in his eyes. “How old wa-is he?”

“Eleven by now,” She smiled shakily, and Glenn was taken aback to see the tears shining in her eyes. “January thirteenth. I used to take him out for pizza and we’d get into these stupid little arguments about how it was a sin to put pineapple on pizza. Fuck, I’d eat all the pineapple on pizza in the world if I found him again. But he’s across the ocean, dead, a walker or barely surviving and scared. Chances are, I’m never gonna see him again.”

Moving over to the bed, Glenn sat down next to her as tears freely ran down her cheeks, her breathing heavier than before. “Rose, you’ve never mentioned any of this before. What’s going on?”

She inhaled sharply, and Glenn uncertainly draped his arm around her shoulders. “It sounds so fucking stupid. Honestly, it’s pathetic, you’ll want to laugh if I tell you.”

“Try me.” He pushed gently.

“It’s just,” She started with an explosion, pausing. She closed her eyes, steadying herself and then starting again. “Fuck, I’m half-laughing at myself already. One of the prisoners we found, his name is Axel. And when I worked here, I always used to like making jokes about this band, Guns ‘n’ Roses, because their lead singer was Axl Rose. I don't know, it sounds stupid, but that was always mine and Liam’s band. It made me think of him and...I’m sorry, forget it.”

“No,” Glenn moved closer, but still keeping a small distance between them, making sure she was comfortable with the contact. “You’re upset and you’re my friend, so I want to know. Besides, you keep too many secrets to yourself about your life before, it’s nice to hear some of it.”

Rosalina snorted, but it mixed with a sob, her hand flying to her mouth. “You’ve got a point, I do like my mystery. And it’s nothing interesting, honestly. I just had a split thought about how Liam would react to you all. Fuck, he’d love you all. He’s talk video games for hours with you and Carl, and then he’d think the absolute world of Carol and Lori. He always was a momma’s boy.”

Again, she laughed, leaning her head against Glenn’s shoulder as she continued. “He’d have a crush on Beth. There was this girl at his school, Chloe, and she was just like Beth but not as funny. Sweet, blonde and always kind. Liam would’ve loved Beth. And by the gods, he’d worship Rick, would never leave him alone. Always wanting to know his old cop stories, about the time he got shot, all of it. He liked action, just as long as he was watching and not involved.”

“Not like you then?” Glenn joked, drawing a laugh from Rosalina.

“Nothing like me,” She smiled. “Maggie would’ve been his new best friend. I can practically hear him raving about how ‘cool’ and ‘badass’ she is, and then I’d obviously have to tell him off for swearing. Obviously he and T-Dog would constantly be fighting over Chess.”

“He likes cats?” Glenn was careful to continue to use present tense, not wanting to tip Rosalina further over the edge as she finally managed to ease her tears.

“No,” Rosalina shook her head, smiling, still under Glenn’s arm. “He likes anything that’s mine. He preferred dogs, honestly. Hence he’d want total control over Chess. And, obviously, Hershel would step in and stop their bickering like the good father he is. I think he’d like Liam. He’s a good boy. Daryl would fucking terrify him at first. But he’d get used to him quickly and would talk his ear off. Once Liam gets comfortable around someone, he never shuts up. Daryl would be running in the other direction every time he got near.”

Feeling Rosalina’s chest heave, Glenn murmured, “He sounds like a good kid. I think everyone would like him.”

“They would.” 

They sat in silence, the both of them slowly falling asleep against one another, Glenn’s head resting on top of Rosalina’s while she pushed against his shoulder. They were suddenly jolted awake when there was a slam outside the cell, Rosalina tumbling onto the ground in shock. 

She landed heavily on the floor, finding herself meeting the harsh eyes of Daryl, who had dropped his bag on the ground. “Thanks for the rude awakening.”

He glared at her, not noticing her red-raw eyes in the dim lit cell-outside, the sun had begun to set, meaning they would soon be left in darkness with the exception of a few torches. “Didn’t want Maggie wandering in on something that might upset her. Thought she’d dealt with enough.”

Rosalina spluttered, Glenn jumping up so fast he banged his head against the bed frame, letting out a pained yell. “He was being a good friend, jackass! I don’t know what you’re suggesting, but you’re wrong, Dixon.”

The word slipped from her lips before she could even really think about it, but the second it did, both she and Daryl paused. She’d started using his first name months ago, and it was an unpleasant surprise to find it so easy to slip back into the old habit of unfamiliarity. “Sure didn’t look like he was just being a good friend.”

“Yeah, well he was,” Rosalina huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Just drop it, Daryl, all right? I’m really not in the mood.”

He scoffed, kicking his mattress and dropping down onto it, turning onto his back and facing away from her. Rosalina sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. She felt Glenn’s hand on her shoulder, opening her eyes to see him giving an awkward, yet comforting smile. She managed to return it.

“Go check on Mags, alright? I’ve got some stuff I need to sort out before I settle in for the night.” She told him.

He nodded, knowing better than to question her. “I’ll see you later. You gonna be okay, though? I can stay if you need me-”

“Don’t worry, sweetie, I’ll be fine,” She assured him with a smile, tucking her hair behind her ear. “If I’m not back when dinner’s done, just shout.”

“Where are you going?” Glenn didn’t trust the glimmer in Rosalina’s green eyes as she reached down to grab her rucksack, glancing back up to smile mysteriously.

“Nowhere in particular.” She cryptically replied, exiting her cell. Glenn followed her, watching with confusion and nervousness as she skipped down the steps and swung her head around the door of Rick’s cell.

He was lying with a book, provided by Rosalina, in his hands. Chess was curled comfortably on his chest, purring contently as he slept. Rosalina smiled fondly at the sight. “Heya, General, is it cool if I just pop outside? I’ll take my weapons, I just need a walk. The cells can be a bit stifling.”

“Take someone with you.” Rick simply ordered, not glancing up from his book, turning the page. 

Rosalina nodded, chirping happily enough, “Thanks!”

The way she bounced away from the cell didn’t match the redness of her eyes, and Glenn was starting to worry she might be sleep-deprived enough to be acting madly. “I’ll come with you then.”

“No.” She dismissed sternly, leaving the dormitory. Glenn continued to follow, the pair unaware of Daryl watching with one eye open from his perch, pretending to be asleep when Rosalina glanced back. 

She sighed, but shook her head, walking up over to the exit door, twisting her head to tell Glenn, “Look, I’m quite literally just going to get some water. Then, I’m going to read my book until it gets dark and just enjoy some privacy. I don’t need an armed guard with me to move three feet out of the cell. I’ll be fine, sweetie.”

“Are you sure?” Glenn pushed, and Rosalina held back a groan.

“I’ll be fine!” She said firmly, waving him away with a laugh. “Now go comfort your girlfriend and give me some peace and quiet!”  
He eyed her suspiciously, slowly slinking away back to the cell, keeping his narrow gaze on her. She waited until he had turned his back before opening the door, throwing herself outside and slamming it closed behind her, breathing in the fresh air deeply. “Christ he’s persistent. Good friend, but suspicious as fuck.”

Dragging her rucksack along beside her, she walked to the barrel of water they had set up outside the cell block. 

She did a bit of scouting around the area, eventually finding a bucket and filling it up with as much water as she dared, not wanting to waste the precious supply. If necessary, she’d make a run out of the prison to pick up some more. She’d welcome the alone time.

With the water set up, she sat down beside it, pulling out a slightly crushed and dented box from her bag. She smiled. “Alright, back to being Rosalina Jones again, rather than this boring doppelgänger that argues and moans all day long.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Daryl awoke to the sounds of exclamations and loud laughing. 

With a groan, he rolled over onto his back, forcing himself to sit upright. Out of routine, he looked over to Rosalina’s cell with his bleary eyes, squinting to make out her form on the bed. But it was empty, the covers trailing on the floor and her weapons discarded to the side. 

Confused, he jumped up unsteadily, glancing around the room to see if he could spot her. His tired eyes caught sight of a flash of green, making him pause. He rubbed them, opening wide to see a freshly green, short haired Rosalina stood surrounded by some of the group, all admiring her new hair. 

She stood amid them all, a wide grin on her face that spread all around her eyes. She looked younger, and more like herself again. 

“It’s kinda a rough chop, but the scissors I found weren’t the best, so I’m pretty proud,” Beth was, as per usual, stood closest to her, her hand running through the curly green locks. “Beth, honey, you’ve had your hand on my hair for half an hour now, can I get it back please?”

“Sorry, I just think it looks really nice!” Beth complimented, sheepishly pulling away. “I liked your long hair, but this just suits you more.”

“She’s right,” Carl nodded, holding Chess in his arms, the skinny feline purring contently. “It makes your cheekbones look higher.”

The group exchanged looks, chuckling and smirking. Lori, slowed by her growing stomach, wrapped an arm around her son’s shoulders. “I didn’t know you were so trained in fashion, baby.”

“Mom!” He complained, shrugging her away, glancing up at the laughing Rosalina and Beth embarrassedly. Daryl noticed and smirked-the kid had a crush, two in fact.

Rosalina, still chuckling, let her gaze slide over the group and up the stairs. Her eyes rested on a smirking Daryl, and her smile grew. She liked how he looked, his shoulders relaxed and his arms down at his sides, no weapon slung on his back and finger hooked through his belt loop-he looked relaxed. “Morning, Hawkeye.”

His smirk was wiped from his face, all trace of amusement gone as the group changed to look at Daryl, now chuckling at his nickname from than the newly revealed fashionista Carl. “No. The ain’t gonna be a thing. I ain’t no superhero.”

“Only in your eyes, love,” The compliment was subtle, but it still made the corner of Daryl’s mouth twitch upwards. “What do you think of my new hair?”

“Looks familiar,” He teased, and Rosalina pouted, swinging on her feet. He sighed, trying hard to block out the knowing smirks of the group. “It looks nice.”

“Thanks!” She grinned, perking up. Beth nudged her, making her glance at her, rolling her eyes at Beth’s cheerful giggling. She gave her a shove, leaning in to whisper something to the younger girl, which made them both erupt into giggles. 

They quietened down when Rick walked through the door, but Daryl’s eyes narrowed when Beth cast him a look up at him, a secretive spark alight in her eyes. Before he could call down to her, asking her what she found so funny, Rick began to speak, “We need to start organising this prison, both the cell block and the entrance. It needs to be like Fort Knox around here.”

“Then lets get going,” Rosalina grinned, a new energy filling her, revitalised after getting her hair back the way she wanted it. “Rick, T-Dog, Carol, Daryl and I can fix up the gates, everybody else is on cleaning duty. Wait, where’s Mags and Glenn?”

“Guard tower.” Beth murmured, keeping her voice low so that Hershel, still in his cell half-asleep, wouldn’t hear.

Rosalina’s nose crinkled. “Christ, those two are going at it like bunnies, I swear. Shit, sorry Carl!”  
She blushed a deep red in embarrassment, having forgotten the young boy was present. While he grinned, Lori shot her a glare, although the group could all tell she was holding back a laugh, ushering her son away from them. “Sorry, Rick, I forgot he was there.”  
“It’s fine,” He too seemed to be holding back a chuckle. “Come on, lets get moving.”

The five worked together, in the early morning sun, to set up a secondary defence outside the fence. As they stepped back to admire their work, Rosalina leaned over to Daryl, whispering, “Hey, fancy embarrassing Glenn and Mags?”

He smirked. “What did ya have in mind?”

Smiling innocently, Rosalina failed to hide the spark in her dark green eyes. “Well, nothing too elaborate. I just think we ought to shout up, ask if they’re coming down any time soon.”

Daryl’s smirk grew, and from behind them, Carol, T-Dog and Rick all laughed. “Alright, princess. “Hey, Glenn! Maggie!”  
Daryl’s voice carried across the field to the guard tower that stood twenty feet away from the main entrance. The five watched, Rosalina’s smile the widest of all, as a shirtless Glenn stumbled out of the room at the top of the tower, his fly undone and his hands fumbling to tighten his belt. “Hey! What’s up guys?”

The awkward exchange nearly made Rosalina lose her composure, fighting back the loud laughter that threatened to explode from her tightly pressed lips, but she somehow managed to keep it together. Glancing at her, mirth in his eyes, Daryl was spurred on by the amusement in her face. “You coming?”

Glenn seemed to freeze, something they could all see despite the distance away he was. Rosalina clamped a hand to her mouth, a giggle escaping her lips. “What?”

Chuckling himself, Daryl yelled back again, “You comin’?”

Beside her, Carol openly laughed aloud at Glenn’s confused expression, Rick and T-Dog smirking to themselves. Glenn didn’t seem to know how to respond, a messy haired Maggie awkwardly coming to his side, murmuring something they couldn’t catch. 

Daryl finally decided to put the couple out of their misery, calling up, “Come on, we could use a hand!”

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll be right down!” Glenn rushed to tell them, stumbling back into the room with a red-faced Maggie. 

Rosalina finally used the opportunity to burst out with laughter, leaning heavily against Daryl, who was chuckling quietly himself. “Ah, that was brilliant, love, thank you! Neither of them will look any of us in the eye for weeks.”

“They should just be glad it was us and not Hershel that caught them.” Rick pointed out, smirking.  
As Rosalina began to come down from her high, Daryl set her back on her feet, still smiling as they began to walk closer to the gate again, ready to set another car up against the entrance. 

Over Rosalina’s muffled giggles, T-Dog called back to them, “Hey, Rick?”

The four turned around, seeing the taller man staring across the field to the section of Cell Block D, where the figures of Axel and Oscar had appeared behind the fence. The smile was wiped from Ricks face, and the four struggled to keep up with him as he strode across the grass to where they came to meet him.

“That’s close enough,” Rick said when they were only a few feet away, T-Dog, Daryl and Rosalina flanking his sides while Carol held back. “We had an agreement.”

“Please, mister,” Axel started, just as Maggie and Glenn jogged up to them, sweaty and panting. “We made a deal. But you gotta understand, we can’t live in that place another minute. You follow me? All the bodies. People we knew. Blood, brains, everywhere. There’s ghosts.”

“Well, then, you move the bodies out,” Rick shrugged, unsympathetically. “You should be burning them.”  
“We tried,” Axel was eager to inform them, his watery blue eyes resting on Rosalina, who’s caught her lip between her teeth guiltily. “We did!”

“The fence is down on the far side of the prison,” Oscar said grimly. “Every time we drag a body out, those things just line up. So we’re dropping the body and just running back inside.”  
“Look,” Axel walked forward, approaching them. He paused in his tracks, seeing the group fly to their weapons, with the exception of Rosalina and Carol. “We had nothing to do with Tomas and Andrew. Nothing! You trying to prove a point, you proved it, bro. We’ll do whatever it takes to be part of your group. Just please, please, don’t make us live in that place.”

“Our deal is non-negotiable,” Rosalina felt her stomach drop at Rick’s words. “You either live in your cell block, or you leave.”

Oscar sighed, shaking his head. He looked to Axel. “I told you this was a waste of time. They ain’t no different than the pricks who shot up our boys. You know how many friends’ corpses we had to drag out yesterday? Just threw ‘em out, like....they were good guys. Good guys who had our backs against the really bad dudes in the joint, like Tomas and Andrew. Now, we’ve all made mistakes to get in here, chief. And I’m not gonna pretend to be a saint, but believe me, we’ve paid our due. Enough that we would rather hit that road than to go back into that shit hole.”

There was a moment of silence, and Rick sighed. Turning his head, he looked first at Rosalina, who stared at him imploringly, nodding, touched by the mens’ pleas. But then his gaze fell on Daryl, who shook his head, jaw set.

“Then go.” Rick said, facing them again. 

They both sighed, allowing Daryl to lead them, crossbow on their backs, across to the main entrance. The others followed gathering behind the prison bus Rosalina and Daryl had sat atop days before to discuss their options while Daryl locked them outside the prison. “I say we let them in.”  
“You serious?” Rick questioned T-Dog. “You want them sleeping in the cell next to you? They’ll just be waiting for a chance to grab our weapons. You really want to go back to sleeping with one eye open?”

T-Dog looked at him, tilting his head. “I never stopped. Bring them into the fold. Now, we send ‘em off packing, we might as well execute them ourselves.”

“I don’t know,” Glenn disagreed with a sigh, “Axel seems a little unstable.”

“I could say the same about members of our group already,” Rosalina pointed out, hand on her hip, leaning against a car as Daryl rejoined the ground. She glanced around him, seeing Axel and Oscar hanging off the fence. “I agree with T, we should let them join us.”

“After all we’ve been through to get all this? What if they decide to take it?” Carol argued, glancing between Rick and Rosalina.

Maggie nodded. “It’s just been us for so long. They’re strangers. It feels weird, all of a sudden having other people around.”

T-Dog wasn’t backing down, much to Rosalina’s relief. “You brought us in.”

“Yeah, but you turned up with a shot boy and woman in your arms. You didn’t give us a choice.” Maggie argued.

“Do we really have much of a choice?” Rosalina pushed. “We send them out, we’re killing them. We make them go back into that cell block, we’re torturing them.”

“Rose, they’re criminals.” Carol pressed.

“At the end of the day, those two might have less blood on their hands than we do.” T-Dog pointed out, Rosalina crossing her arms over her chest.

Daryl spoke for the first time. “I get guys like this. Hell, I grew up with them. They’re degenerates, but they ain’t psychos. I could have been in there with them just as easy as I’m out here with you guys.”

T-Dog seemed to take that as a sign Daryl was with them, but Rosalina could tell by the apologetic glance he shot at her he was against bringing them in. “So you’re with us?”

“Hell no,” He looked away from Rosalina. “Let ‘em take their chances out on the road, just like we did.”

T-Dog sighed. “What I’m saying, Daryl-”

Rick interrupted him. “Look, when I was a rookie, I arrested this kid-nineteen years old, wanted for stabbing his girlfriend. Kid blubbered like a baby during the interrogation, during the trial. Suckered the jury. He was acquitted due to insufficient evidence, and then two weeks later, shot another girl. We’ve been through too much. Our deal with them stands.”

“Rick,” Rosalina started, shaking her head. “I’ve worked with criminals most of my life, and I know when someone’s psycho and when someone is just desperate and had to turn to a new life to survive. I think we should at least give them a chance.”

But Rick’s mind had been made up, and it was clear the tide was against Rosalina and T-Dog. “I’m sorry, but I’m not changing my mind. The deal stays the same.”

Herself and T-Dog shared a tired look as the others moved away from where they’d been gathered, leaving them stood alone together. “Thanks for having my back.”

“Any time,” She smiled at him, nudging her head to where the group were walking back across to the yard. “Come on, there’s no point pulling our faces. We’re not gonna change their minds by being moody.”

He managed a half-smile, joining her in jogging up the hill to the rest of the group, Rosalina falling into step next to Daryl and T-Dog pulling back near Rick. “Alright, what’re we doing now?”

“Me, you, Rick and Glenn are gonna go pick up some firewood from the outside. The rest of ‘em are organising the cars,” Daryl informed her, making her groan. “What?”

“I’m getting bored of all this running around,” She admitted, stretching her arms. “We haven’t had chance to actually relax since we found this place and it doesn’t seem right. We’re still human last time I checked, and I think we could all do with a break.”

“We’ll have a break when we’re safe.” He replied gruffly. When she didn’t respond, he glanced down, blinking in surprise when he found her glowering up at him.

She gave him a shove. “Daryl, just because you’re permanently on edge doesn't mean the rest of us can always live like that. Look, the entrance is sealed, we’re all locked and loaded, what more could we possibly need? Damn.”

Daryl shoved her back, lightly. She barely even flinched. “Hey, I ain’t the one setting all these tasks. You wanna be a lazy ass, go talk to Rick, don’t bug me.”

Groaning, Rosalina rolled her eyes, wrapping her arm around his as they continued to walk up the hill to the prison. To her surprise, he didn’t pull away. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be bitchy. I’m just kinda tired. It feels like every muscle in the upper half of my body aches from the effort of ripping daggers out of walkers over and over again from the past week. I’m starting to think it might be easier to find another weapon.”

“You’ve always been alright with your daggers until now.” Daryl pointed out, admittedly surprised that Rosalina was considering giving them up. They’d always been a point of pride for her, along with the sword she so rarely bothered with anymore.

“I know, and I love them, don’t get me wrong,” She hurried to explain, the pair coming to a stand still as they realised they’d left the rest of the group behind. Grudgingly, she released his arm, standing opposite him instead. “It’s just I’m not as quick with them as I should be. I’m gonna get some practice with them over the next few days, get used to them again.”

“Rose! Daryl!” Their conversation was interrupted by Rick, who stood at the bottom of the hill with Glenn, the rest of the group migrating towards the cars parked on the tarmac-Daryl’s bike had already been driven up to the main entrance. “Come on, we’re heading out now.”

“Coming!” Daryl called back, the pair jogging down the hill. “I’ll go outta the prison with you if you want, get some training done on actual geeks while I hunt.”

She turned to look at him in surprise, a smile on her face that mixed equal parts disbelief and happiness. “Really? That would be awesome. Thanks, Hawkeye.”

“Stop calling me that.” He muttered, reaching the bottom of the hill and joining Glenn and Rick in walking across the field back to the hole they had cut in the fence to get in and out. 

“Why not?” Rosalina asked, bouncing along beside him. “It suits you!”  
“I ain’t no superhero. Especially not one called something as dumb as ‘Hawkeye’.” He scoffed, grunting in pain when Rosalina slapped his arm harshly.

She, however, seemed to be the one hurt more, wincing and holding her hand to her chest. “Shit, you’re too muscly, I can’t slap you. And Hawkeye is fucking awesome, asshole! He’s my favourite Avenger other than Natasha.”

“There’s a superhero called Natasha?” Daryl repeated, eyebrows raised.

Glenn turned around, facing them as he walked backwards. “Yeah, Natasha Romanoff, alias Black Widow. She’s basically the female James Bond.”

“Only cooler, hotter, and Russian!” Rosalina exclaimed eagerly, her eyes shining brightly, a spark dancing in the dark green. All three men smiled, hearing simply in how she spoke that the superhero was a favourite topic of the woman’s. “Her full name is Natalia Alianovna Romanova and she’s amazing! She was brought up in the Red Room, a soviet program that trained little girls to be assassins. She’s honestly the only competent avenger in my eyes.”

“What about Captain America?” Glenn’s question made Rosalina scoff, her face scrunching up in disgust.

“I really dislike Steve Rogers,” She stated. “He’s too headstrong and he seriously never considers anything other than what he views as right, and often he’s wrong. I feel bad for him, losing such an incredible woman such as Peggy Carter, but he’s kinda an asshole most of the time. The best avengers are, in order, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Ironman, Thor, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Black Panther, Quicksilver, Ms Marvel, Captain Marvel, War Machine and then Cap. I know there’s more, but those are the ones most people know, and if I listed all of them we’d probably be here for a while.”

“What about the, uh,” Daryl paused, thinking hard. When he finally recalled the name he struggled for, he spoke it with a certain amount of pride that made Rosalina’s stomach flutter. “Spider-man?”

“Oh, how did I forget Peter?” She cried, eyes wide. They’d reached the outer fence, Glenn un-patching the hole and climbing through first. “Spider-man is awesome, but the movie trilogy bored the fuck out of me. The first one was great, second was okay, but by the third I fell asleep in the cinema and got thrown out for sleep-talking. It would’ve been so much better if they had Deadpool appear.”

“Who’s Deadpool?”

There was a pause. “How the fuck do you not know Deadpool?”  
By the time they climbed back into the prison, arms full of firewood with the exception of Daryl and Rosalina who were on lookout, the trio of men had been given a comprehensive history into the works of Marvel(not DC though, as Rosalina had given Rick a piercing look when he dared to ask her opinion of Superman). 

“Please, just stop,” Daryl was almost pleading, keeping a gruff tone to his voice, but shooting the still talking Rosalina an exasperated look. “You haven’t stopped for breath in a whole damn half hour.”

“What, I love Marvel.” She smiled mischievously, winking as she twirled past him, ducking under the fence and stepping through the hole, gracefully appearing on the other side with a flourish of her arms. 

“Hey, guys.” Glenn gathered their attention, nodding his head to the yard. They all turned, surprised to see Lori, Beth and Carl stood on the pavement, a stable Hershel stood between them, leaning on the crutches the younger boy had gathered from the infirmary. “Hey, looking good Hershel!”

“Oi, keep it to yourself.” Daryl warned the younger man, pointing out the walkers that had started to edge to the fence from outside. 

Glenn groaned. “Can’t we have one good day?”

Rosalina wasn’t downhearted, however, smiling at the sight of Hershel standing proud on the yard. A few feet away, T-Dog, Maggie and Carol stood with them, all smiling at the old man. 

But then, the warm moment was spoiled suddenly by the sight of slow moving figures hobbling up behind the four on the yard, Rosalina’s heart pounding in her chest when Carl turned his head to catch sight of them. “Walkers!”  
The effect was immediate, Rosalina, Rick and Daryl taking off running along the pathway between the two fences, Glenn stopping to patch the hole back up so no more walkers could enter.

Rosalina’s daggers bounced on her back, hurrying to pull them out as her and Rick screamed to the group on the yard, “Get out! Get out!”  
For the first time ever, Rick was able to outrun both Daryl and Rosalina, screaming in fear, “Lori! Lori!”

He pushed ahead, reaching the gate before the others, screaming for the keys. Rosalina fumbled to yank them from her belt loop, ripping the material of her jeans in the process but not caring as she tossed the keys to Rick. 

While he worked on opening the gate, Rosalina, Daryl and Glenn all reached him panting, watching the chaos within the prison. Rosalina saw Maggie, Carl and Lori escape back into the prison itself, while Carol and T-Dog worked on killing walkers. Beth and Hershel had locked themselves in a caged off area away from the chaos.

Rick shoved open the gate, all four sprinting inside, weapons raised. As they ran through the entrance gates, they passed a lingering Axel and Oscar, both of whom stared after them confusedly as they raced up to the prison doors. “Hey, what’s going on?”

None of them replied, too busy concentrating on running to reach the yard. Rosalina could feel her pulse thumping in her ears, complete panic taking over her body as she lost sight of Carol and T-Dog in the mass of walkers that had invaded the courtyard.

When they finally pulled open the final barrier that blocked them from the courtyard, the only living people were Beth and Hershel locked in their caged area, the walkers mostly dead or ambling around. Rosalina, Daryl and Glenn were quick to start clearing out the rest of the walkers, Rick running to Beth and Hershel and asking, “Where’s Carl and Lori?”

“Maggie let Lori and Carl into C Block,” Hershel told him, panicked, confirming what Rosalina had saw. “And T was bitten.”

This news made Rosalina freeze, the walker she had killed falling to the floor with her dagger still embedded in its skull. A high pitched ringing began in her ears, blocking out all other noise as she stormed across to where Rick was questioning Hershel and Beth, cutting him off to demand, “Are you sure? Do you know for certain that T was bitten?”

Beth stared down at her with teary eyes, Hershel nodding grimly. “One got him on the shoulder. Carol pulled him inside and we haven’t seen either of them since. I’m sorry.”

Rosalina stumbled back, dropping unsteadily onto the floor, leaning her arms on her knees and staring at the ground aimlessly. 

Daryl ran up to her, firing at walkers, yanking on her shoulder with his free hand. “Rose? Rose, get up!”

But her mind was somewhere else, focused solely on the news that one of her best friends got bit. T-Dog was going to die and there was nothing she could do to save him. “Rose!”  
Suddenly, she was pulled to consciousness when an alarm began to ring at top volume, startling her enough to look up at Daryl. “What the fuck is that?”

“I don’t know,” He admitted, grabbing her hand and pulling her to his feet, keeping her close to his side and Rick and Glenn ran over. “Who the hell is doing that?”

“We don’t know!” Rick yelled over the noise, tossing a gun each to Rosalina and Daryl. “Shoot the speakers, we gotta stop that noise!”  
They followed his orders, shooting the speakers that were fixed on the corner of every wall in the courtyard, the constant, shrill ringing on the prison alarm giving Rosalina an almighty headache, and doing nothing to calm her nerves as she noticed walkers beginning to gather at the far barrier to the prison, attracted by the noise. 

While Rick ran over to Oscar and Axel, demanding to know if they could stop the alarm, Rosalina kept close to Daryl’s side as they shot down any speaker in sight. They didn’t stop until Rick ran back over with Oscar and Axel in tow, following them into the prison, leaving Hershel and Beth behind in their hurry.

They raced into the Cell Block, Rosalina and Daryl working together to kill the four walkers that were ambling around inside, Rick rushing ahead to check the cells with Glenn. “Lori!”

“There was four in here,” Rosalina said as he ran back in. “No sign of the others?”

“No,” He shook his head, the sounds of the alarm ringing loudly in Rosalina’s ears. “We’ll split up and look for the others. Whoever gets to the generators first, shut ‘em down!”  
Suddenly, Chess flew out of the nearest cell, his hackles up and his eyes alert.

Rosalina dropped to the floor, embracing him in a hug when he bounded into her arms, terrified. “I’m so sorry, buddy, I forgot you were in here. Thank gods you’re okay.”  
“Rose, we need to move!” Rick yelled over the alarm, glancing down at Chess in her arms. “Lock him in one of the cells, he’ll be safe now we’ve killed the walkers!”

She hesitated, but when Daryl gave her a certain nod, she ran across to the nearest cell. Setting Chess down carefully on the bed, she regretfully flew away from the bunk, closing the cell door. Chess quickly ran up, eager to follow his comforting mistress, only to find he wasn’t quite skinny enough to slip through the bars. Rosalina’s heart broke at the pleading meow he gave her. “Baby, I'm sorry, I’ll be back! I promise, I’ll be back for you!”

And then, she ran.


	21. Cluck, cluck, it's Daryl the mother hen

Deep inside the actual prison was a maze of chaos, Rosalina’s head aching painfully from the flashing lights of the prison’s lockdown system, mixed with the constant running in fear and the blearing alarms.

She was grateful for the momentary break as Rick slammed open the door to the generator room, running in after him, Daryl hot on her tail and Oscar close behind him-they’d separated from Glenn and Axel, focused solely and shutting down the noise which was bound to attract walkers for miles. And who knows what else.

Inside, Rick and Oscar ran across to the mainframe, leaving Rosalina and Daryl to fight hard against the walkers that stormed outside to keep the door shut, Daryl groaning with the effort. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

“We got this!” She yelled up at him, sliding onto the floor and digging her heels into the ground, pushing her back against the door. “Come on!”

Her words of encouragement, however, were lost in her scream when Rick and Oscar were suddenly attacked by a bloodied and very much alive Andrew, who shot out from behind one of the many machines in the room with a weapon in his hands. 

Rosalina watched tensely as they fought, Oscar having been knocked flying by the resurrected man, who attacked Rick immediately. She didn’t have long to watch the match, however, as there was a sudden surge forward from the side of the walkers, pushing the door further open. 

Daryl grabbed ahold of her arm, throwing her out of the way of the door and running back, allowing it to fly open, firing at the two nearest walkers. Rosalina scrambled up, tossing her knives into the heads of two more, rushing forward and throwing the door closed again, her and Daryl able to hold it easier now that they had taken out some of the muscle power.

Resuming her place guarding the door from the floor, she just in time to see Oscar shoot Andrew with Rick’s gun, the man dropping to the floor with a clatter. She sighed in relief, her head falling back against the door, looking up to see Daryl form a makeshift lock with a trail of rope, meaning they could move away from the door.

They edged over to Oscar and Rick, seeing the prisoner hand Rick’s gun back to him. “Thank you.”

Daryl kept his knives raised, his crossbow swung onto his back as he was low on arrows, watching with narrowed eyes as Oscar turned around and flipped two switches on the main generator, cutting the alarm at last. 

“Thank gods.” Rosalina exhaled, running her hands through her hair, a sick feeling creeping through her stomach. The noise of the alarm still rang in her ears, a painful reminder that they weren’t out of the woods yet. 

Seeming to sense her dark thoughts, Rick already urging them out of the room again, giving them no chance to rejoice with their small victory. “Come on, we need to find the others.”

Rosalina didn’t sigh or complain, her face set with grim determination, following Rick back outside. They kept their usual formation as they took on the dwindling walkers that still survived, Rosalina behind Rick, Daryl close beside her and Oscar bringing up the rear.

They walked for a few minutes, pausing as they heard shuffling. Flattening themselves against the wall, they waited with weapons raised to see what would shuffle around the corner, only for Glenn and Axel to round on them with their own weapons up. 

Rosalina breathed a sigh of relief, unable to stop herself from throwing her arms around Glenn’s shoulders. “Thank the gods.”

“You didn’t find anyone else?” He was quick to question, giving her a one armed hug, the pair forced to quickly pull away by the tense situation they were surrounded by. 

Beside her, Rosalina failed to notice Daryl’s angry glare at Glenn, although the younger man caught it and rolled his eyes. He didn’t have time for the pair’s dramatics that day.

Rick shook his head, but nobody had chance to speak, as they suddenly caught the sounds of squelching and chomping. Rosalina felt her heart fly up into her throat, pressing close against Daryl’s side as Rick warily led them around the corner.

The sight that greeted them at the end of the corridor was a gruesome one. Two walkers feasted hungrily on a carcass stripped bare of it’s flesh, the head covered by one of the walker’s bodies but the bloodied ribcage clear for them all to see. 

Daryl quickly wrapped his hand around Rosalina’s mouth, pulling her against him when she released a sob, recognising the bloody blue jeans of the corpse. It could be no one other than their very own T-Dog.

Rosalina’s face buried into the crook of Daryl’s neck, his chin comfortingly pressing against her head as she cried. Rick and Oscar were the two who were forced to step forward and kill the walkers, Glenn stumbling back at the sight of his best friend ripped apart and eaten by the creatures he had been fighting for so long.

“Rose,” Daryl murmured, pressing his lips to the top of her head. Any other time, Rosalina would’ve been overcome by the gesture, but she was too far gone to even notice at this point. “Rose, come on, we can’t stop now. We’ve got to go.”

“It’s not fair,” She cried with blubbering sobs, hiccuping as she pulled back, looking up at Daryl with red eyes. “It was T-Dog. How could they get T-Dog?”

Daryl’s gaze flickered over her head to see Rick approaching with a familiar scarf belonging to Carol, which had clearly been discarded on the floor. He gave a subtle shake of his head, making Rick aware of Rosalina’s unstable state, and then looked back down at the girl. “I know, shit ain’t fair. But we gotta go, now.”

She sniffed, nodding. “I know. Of course I know.”

“Come on.” Rick gently ordered, and Daryl didn't object to Rosalina’s shaky hand sliding into his, leading the way for her back outside.

In the bright sun of the courtyard, the group ran across to where an anxious Hershel and Beth still stood, both casting terrified glances at the expression on the usually composed Rosalina’s face. “We thought they might’ve run back outside.”

They shook their heads at Rick’s statement, Beth taking the steps two at a time to gather Rosalina in her arms, the older girl releasing Daryl’s hand with a sob and allowing herself to be comforted by the blonde. “What about T? Carol?”

“The didn’t make it.” Daryl gruffly informed Hershel, watching Beth stroke Rosalina’s hair in a comforting manner.

“That doesn’t mean the others didn’t,” Rick pressed, determined. “Daryl, Glenn and Rose, you go with-”

But an out of place sound stopped him in his tracks, distinct and clearly heard, even over Rosalina’s muffled sobbing. The woman in question forced herself to look up, confused, wiping at her eyes hurriedly.

Her lip quivered, seeing a shaken Maggie and Carl entering the yard, Maggie clutching a tiny, covered figure to her chest with bloody hands. A baby, who was crying softly. 

They watched, wordlessly, as Rick approached the blood stained trio, shaking his head in disbelief. Rosalina heard Beth gasp, and suddenly it was her turn to do the comforting, bringing a shell-shocked Beth towards her, holding the girl tightly in her arms as they watched, Rosalina’s arm wrapped around her shoulders.

Daryl stepped towards her, and neither said a word as Rosalina’s hand captured his again, holding on tight with force as Rick broke down. “Where-where is she?”

He paced back and forth for a moment, moving to walk past Maggie. The crying woman, still holding Lori’s baby tight to her chest, reached out a hand to stop him, but he brushed past her. Instead, he came to stand beside Carl, whose gaze was kept firmly to the ground.

Rick’s hands covered his face, running through his hair, repeating over and over. “No, no. No. No, no.”

He didn’t seem to know what to do with himself, looking around the courtyard, beginning to cry. “No.”

Glenn was quick to reach Maggie’s side, taking the sobbing woman into his arms, careful not to hurt the baby that sat between them as they embraced.

At the bottom of the stairs into C Block, Rick dropped to the floor, punching the floor and cursing as he sobbed. 

Daryl suddenly tightened his grip on Rosalina’s hand, and she turned to look at him, seeing that his face had turned an angry red and his eyes were focused on the floor. Even he was holding back tears.

She pulled him towards her, tears freely running down her own cheeks, her one arm still around Beth. She gave the girl a squeeze, turning her head to press her face into Daryl’s shoulder. She gave his shoulder a gentle kiss, the only way she could think to comfort him in the group’s shared moment of grief. Daryl’s arm wrapped around Rosalina’s waist, turning his head to rest on the top of her’s, hiding his face in her green hair, away from the rest of the group. 

Eventually, they had to pull themselves together, roused by the screams of the baby. Daryl forced himself to move away from Rosalina and approach Rick, who had sat himself up and was staring blankly into space. 

Rosalina watched him kneel down next to him, rubbing Beth’s back as she slowly began to calm down. “Rick, you with me? Rick?”

The man didn’t say a word, or even react to Daryl’s presence. The hunter stepped away, shaking his head at Rosalina, who sighed. 

To the side, Carl approached Maggie, wordlessly taking his newborn sibling into his arms. Seeing this, Hershel called over, “Let me see the baby.”  
“What are we gonna feed it?” Daryl questioned practically, the group forming a circle, Rosalina stepping forward with her arm still around Beth, who had fully stopped crying by this point. “We got anything a baby could eat?”

Nobody answered straight away, watching Hershel examine the baby in Carl’s arms. “The good news is she looks healthy. But she needs formula and soon, or she won’t survive.”

“It’s a girl?” Rosalina breathed, a small smile pulling up on her lips despite Hershel’s grim closing sentence. “Wow.”

Daryl looked up, seeing the smile on her tear-stained face, and his jaw fixed tightly. “No. No way, not her. We ain’t losing nobody else. I’m going for a run.”

“I’ll back you up.” Maggie was quick to agree.

“Me too.” Glenn said immediately, stood at her side.

Rosalina, unsurprisingly, nodded her head. “I’ll go as well. And don’t give me that look, Daryl, I need to do this. For her.”

Daryl stared at her for a long moment, and they others waited for a fight to break out, only to be surprised by Daryl simply nodding instead. “Fine, but you lose your shit, you’re on guard duty. Maggie, Glenn, lets go!”

But before they could snap into action, the sound of heavy footsteps on the steps made their heads snap around, seeing Rick storming into the Cell Block with an axe in his hand. 

Nobody quite knew what to make of the sudden disappearance, glancing between one another warily, Hershel sighing tiredly.

Rosalina and Daryl exchanged a worried look, Daryl stomping away to his car while Rosalina organised the rest of the group, forced to release Beth from her arms.

“Watch the little one, we won’t be gone long,” She said, focusing her attention on Hershel first and then turning to Beth. “Listen, I left Chess alone in one of the cells, I need you to look after him. He’s pretty shaken and I’m worried about him.”

“I’ll watch him.” She promised, Rosalina cracking a grateful smile. She pulled the younger girl into a hug, running after Daryl to his bike, Maggie and Glenn following behind them.

“I can only think of one place that we could go, and that’s off the eight-five,” Glenn started. “We saw signs when we passed through in February.”

“No way, the road down there is too blocked up by debris. A car will never get through.” Maggie dismissed, all eyes sliding to where Daryl sat on his bike.

“Hey, I can only take one of you.” He shrugged. They didn’t need to question who his first choice would be. 

Rosalina, wordlessly, joined him on the back of his bike, gripping his waist tightly with her thighs, hands on his shoulders. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing the vaguely annoyed, but mainly concerned expressions on Glenn and Maggie’s faces. “I’m sorry, I need to get out of here. Look after Carl and the others.”

Daryl kicked off, Rosalina managing a small smile as they drove away, turning back to bury her face in his back as they drove out the gates. Neither of them spoke a word.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hey, pull up,” Rosalina murmured in Daryl’s ear, catching sight of a full playground in the backyard of a large house. “That was a family’s house, chances are they have stuff for babies.”

“Nice spot,” He complimented, pulling over in the front yard of the house, swinging off his bike and taking Rosalina’s hand to help her up. “Keep close, we don’t know what around here.”

She nodded, silently making her way over to the house. Daryl watched her back, anxiously keeping an eye out for any unwanted individuals that could approach. 

Glancing through the window, Rosalina frowned, finding a large room filled with toys and two cradles in the corner. It didn't resembled a house, but looked more like...a school? “Daryl, this is a nursery.”

“Even better.” He said, flinching in surprise when she suddenly smashed the window with the handle of her dagger, climbing inside.

The soles of her boots crushed the glass beneath her feet with a satisfying crunching sound, Rosalina casually brushing off a piece of glass that had caught itself on her sleeve. She turned away before Daryl could see the blood stain forming underneath the thin material of her shirt, knowing he’d scold her for not being more careful around the glass. 

“Stay here,” Rosalina ordered, “I’ll be quick.”

“No chance.” He disagreed immediately, moving to the window and stepping inside, ducking his head.

She rolled her eyes, but didn't reply, walking across to a set of cabinets in the corner of the room. 

Kneeling down, she pulled them open, sighing in relief when she found all the basic necessities they needed for the newborn babe back at the prison. Hurriedly beginning to pack Daryl’s rucksack, she rammed it full, standing back up and swinging it onto her shoulder.

Turning around, she found Daryl stood staring at the back wall, where colourful handprints littered the dark blue wall, names scribbled in scrawled, child writing on each palm. Following his gaze, she found him staring at one in particular which read ‘Sofie’, and a sad smile graced her lips.

“Come on,” She coaxed gently, making him face her, turning his expression hard again before she could see his moment of weakness. “Lets check the rest of this place out.”

He nodded, pushing past her with his head down, pretending that he hadn’t paused for a moment to get his emotions in check. Rosalina released a long breath, staring at his back exhaustedly before following him out into the corridor. 

They scoped out the nursery independently, meeting back together at the room they had started in. Rosalina frowned in confusion, comparing her own hands which held the rucksack and a stolen bag of formula milk to Daryl’s hands, which held the tail of a dead possum and his crossbow. “Dinner?”

“Dinner,” He nodded with a smirk, drawing a short laugh from the still openly emotional girl. “Come on, lets go home.”

“Home,” Rosalina smiled slightly, following Daryl’s movements of ducking down through the window, although her short height meant she could simply step out without any collision. “Is that ever gonna sound normal again?”

Daryl didn’t answer, climbing onto the back of his bike. Rosalina, hiding her annoyance at his silence, climbed on behind him, arms around his waist.

Their journey back was once again silent, neither bothering to try and make conversation. The longer they rode, however, the easier it became for Rosalina to gather her thoughts together.

By the time they reached the prison, she had relaxed against Daryl’s back, and her breathing was steady. Daryl, who felt her chest rise and fall because of their close proximity, was grateful that she had managed to compose herself-he didn’t think he could handle her breaking down again, not with all the drama he’d have to face inside the prison.

They were quick to rush into Cell Block C, where Maggie rushed to Rosalina with Beth, helping her to pull out the formula milk and bottle, while Daryl moved straight to where Carl held his baby sister sat at a table. “How is she?”

The baby was still crying the way she had been when the pair had left, but suddenly she quietened down. Rosalina, leaving Maggie and Beth to handle the formula milk, turned around to see Daryl holding the baby girl in his arms, rocking her gently. Her eyes widened in surprise, unable to hide her shock, a smile curling up on her lips. “Wow.”

“Here.” Beth thrust the bottle into the smiling Rosalina’s hand, startling her back into reality.

“Thanks,” She nodded, slowly approaching Daryl with the baby. When he looked up at her, there was a proud, happy smile on his face that only widened her own. “Here, give her this.”

Daryl carefully took the bottle, pressing it to the baby’s pursed lips. She drank eagerly, much to the man’s delight, and Rosalina giggled quietly at the way he puckered his own lips, as though showing the baby how to drink. 

“She got a name yet?” He asked Carl, who stood watching from the side. 

“I was thinking Sophia, maybe,” the boy admitted, and Rosalina watched Daryl’s smile drop. Had he not been holding the young infant, she would’ve nudged him to not dishearten Carl. “And then there’s Carol too. And...Andrea. Amy. Jacqui. Patricia. Or Lori. I don’t know.”

The list of the dead made the group fall quiet, all watching Daryl with the baby, Maggie and Beth smiling gratefully at Carl for including their own Patricia.

Daryl nodded solemnly, glancing down at the baby. Seeing her tiny hands stretch up to the bottle, he smiled, coaxing the young baby, rocking her back and forth in his arms. “You like that, huh, sweetheart? Little ass-kicker?”

The minute the words left his mouth, he looked up at Rosalina hopefully, but she was already shaking her head with a laughing smile, the rest of the group chuckling themselves, “No!”

“Oh come on, it’s cute,” He insisted, wandering over to her with the baby still in his arms, carefully showing her to Rosalina. The woman couldn’t help but melt at the sight of the young baby’s tiny outstretched fingers and her miniature button nose that was creased up as she drank. “Don’t you think it suits her?”

“I never said that,” She replied, smiling down at the newborn. Looking to Carl for consent, Rosalina happily took the child into her arms at his nod, Daryl smiling fondly at the two of them.

As he watched Rosalina hold, albeit somewhat awkwardly as she got used to the baby’s wriggling, Carl’s younger sister, he was hit by a sudden sense of unexplainable wistfulness. It filled his stomach, deepening further when Rosalina’s head excitedly lifted up, her wide eyes meeting his with a proudness he hadn’t seen for a while as the baby settled, content in her arms. 

He was relieved when she looked back down, giving him a moment to breath, trying to push his overwhelming feelings of longing away, but failing to completely dim the spark that still hit him when she began to speak. 

“You know, I’ve not held a baby since I was fifteen doing babysitting rounds for a little extra cash to pay for my prom dress.” Rosalina admitted, her voice quieter than usual, trying her hardest not to upset the child in her arms.

“You went to prom?” Daryl asked, grateful for the distraction, raising his eyebrows in surprise, a smirk curling on the corners of his lips. 

Rosalina only gave him an exasperated look, gently rocking the baby back and forth as she explained, a smile pulling up on her face when the baby lifted it’s tiny pink hand up in the air, “Actually, I held my own prom. Paid for everything out of my own pocket for a few of us who didn’t get on well with the rest of our school. Even had a few of my older friends who hadn’t gone to their own come. Great night. You would’ve hated it.”

“Why’s that?” He questioned teasingly, the rest of the group watching with fond smiles and laughs. “Don’t think I’m the dancing sort?”

“Oh, there was no dancing. We had mosh-pits and head-banging.” Rosalina corrected him proudly, surprising no one with her unusual prom shenanigans. In the far corner, Glenn snorted loudly, Maggie hitting him embarrassedly when all eyes turned to stare at him for the sudden pig-like noise. His cheeks coloured. 

Saving him from further embarrassment, Rosalina winked, finishing her statement towards Daryl. “I just meant you wouldn’t like to be surrounded by so many people having so much fun.”

The group made loud ‘oh’ noises, exclaiming dramatically when Daryl gave her a joking dirty look, jutting his chin up. He walked closer to her, shoulders pulled back challengingly, but the smile on his face let them all know he was joking. “You calling me a misery guts?”

“Are you denying it?” She retorted, nudging him gently with her hip as she carefully swung the baby in her arms back and forth. The little girl cooed, lips puckering. Noticing immediately, Daryl placed the bottle full of formula milk back to her mouth, Rosalina gently covering his hand with her own and helping to set it at an angle that meant she could drink easily. “I never would’ve thought Daryl Dixon would’ve been such a good mother hen.”

“Oi, watch it,” He warned her, but there was mirth in his tone. “I can deal with misery guts, but mother hen is a step too far, even for you.”

“Please, sweetheart, I can call you whatever I want,” Standing on her tip toes, she gently brushed his cheek with her lips, sashaying around him to Carl. She didn’t glance back, missing the look of incredulity on Daryl’s face as he stared after her, the rest of those gathered openly laughing.

Hershel stepped forward as Rosalina knelt down next to Carl, clapping Daryl on the back. He muttered to the hunter, a smirk on his face, “Good luck with that one, lad.”

“Thanks,” Daryl murmured, still visibly in shock with wide eyes. “I’ll need it.”

Rosalina glanced over her shoulder with a smirk, winking at Daryl before turning back to Carl. She handed him his younger sister, smiling kindly, watching him take her in his arms and hold her close to his chest, supporting her head with his hand. “You’re already a great older sibling-took me years to get ahold of that skill. You must be a natural.”

He managed a small smile, copying the way the previous two had been rocking her moments before. But he was a little too excited, moving his arms in a way that startled the baby, making her cry out. 

Carl’s terrified expression as he looked up at Rosalina made her heart break, and she circled around him, wrapping her arms around his short form to help guide him in rocking the baby. “Hey, don’t worry, you’re doing great. Just be gentle. Remember, she’s only a few hours young, she isn’t used to any of this.”

“Like this?” He asked, keeping the same pace Rosalina had set him at when she pulled away, glancing over his shoulder to look at her.

As she smiled, nodding reassuringly with her arms still around his shoulders, Daryl watched her with a genuine small, smile on his lips. He stepped back, leaning against the wall next to Glenn and Maggie, ignoring their knowing smirks as he watched Rosalina help Carl with his new baby sister.

Suddenly, surprising the group, Chess ran up from out of the cells, wrapping himself around Rosalina’s legs, making her jump. “Chess!” 

She leaned down, gathering him up in her arms and rubbing her face against his soft fur, Chess doing the same with her short hair. “Oh, I missed you so much, baby, I didn’t mean to leave you alone! Oh, you’re so cute! I’ll never leave you again, I promise!”

Glenn leaned forward, his hand still in Maggie’s as he whispered to Daryl with a smirk, “Jealous?”

The hunter scoffed, shoving the younger man away with a roll of his eyes, hiding his smile at Maggie’s and Glenn’s quiet laughter. 

Rosalina stood in the centre of the room, oblivious to the teasing going on a few feet away, holding Chess with the same happiness that Carl held his younger sister. 

Despite the tear stains and heavy shadows on everyone’s faces, for a brief moment, everything felt right. But, even in their happiness, they knew the peace could never last.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	22. The Dalina Fanclub is Unearthed

Sure enough, the peace didn’t last-for Rosalina at least.

Twirling around the dormitory, Rosalina grinned down at the young baby in her arms, holding her tightly to her chest. In the other room, the rest of the group had breakfast, but Rosalina had been preoccupied with the baby since she’d woke up-three hours earlier than all the rest.

She was in a strangely lively mood, unable to keep still for longer than a few minutes, a weight sitting on her chest that grew heavier with every second she spent sitting still. She knew, even in her manic moment, that it was panic that was pressing down on her, pushing her to keep moving, but she couldn’t seem to calm herself. 

“Rose,” She didn’t start at the sudden gruff voice, turning around to see Daryl staring at her. His brow was furrowed, standing with his shoulder forward, in an almost defensive manner. Rosalina frowned at the sight, slowly coming to a stop. The smile slipped from her face. “What the hell are you doing?”

“She was crying,” She gestured at the baby in her arms. “And I didn’t want her to disturb everyone so I’m keeping her distracted.”

“Beth said you’ve been skipping around since sunrise.” Daryl continued, and Rosalina couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or worried-she supposed both.

Nodding, Rosalina shrugged. “I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I may as well make myself useful.”

But Daryl noticed how her eyes were darting about his face, unable to focus on one thing at a time, her fingers twitching. He sighed. “Rose, you gotta eat. You’re starting to get crazy.”

“I’m not hungry.” The baby cradled in her arms began to cry again, and Rosalina’s eyes narrowed in a pointed glare at Daryl, as though it was his fault, beginning to pace up and down with her again. 

“I don’t care if you ain’t hungry, you gotta eat,” Daryl argued, stepping in front of her, his face close to hers. The baby between them reached out, tugging on the material of Daryl’s shirt, her tiny arms able to easily reach from how close he was stood. “We don’t need you passing out and dropping little ass-kicker.”

“I’m fine,” Rosalina argued stubbornly, readjusting the baby so that she was instead leaning against her chest rather than cradled against her stomach. The warmth of her little body provided a certain level of comfort for Rosalina. “I’ll eat later.”

Daryl seemed to be resisting the urge to forcibly pull her into the other room, where the rest were all eating their own breakfast, all too aware of the fragile child she was holding. “You’re eating now. I ain’t in the mood for this. I got enough on my plate without you being a stubborn ass bitch who faints just cause she was in a mood and wouldn’t eat.”

“Oi, language,” Rosalina chastised, glowering up at him. Daryl returned the glare with an even harsher one, making her sigh. Her hard expression fell. “Look, if I stop moving right now, I’m going to have a full scale melt down and I can’t deal with that. Just leave me be, please. I can’t handle food right now, Daryl.”

She knew exactly what to say to get him to relent, the soft use of his name making Daryl’s muscles relax. His glare became less forceful, giving her an understanding nod. “I’ll give you twenty minutes. If you still ain’t ate, I’m taking the baby off you. We don’t need you freaking out when the kid’s in your arms.”

“She’s what’s keeping me calm, right now. I won’t freak out.” Rosalina reassured him gently, rocking the baby girl.

“But you gotta come in the other room,” Daryl finished, watching her carefully. If she hadn’t been so manic, Rosalina would’ve blushed. “I’m keeping an eye on you.”

“Aw, aren’t you sweet,” She teased, smirking, moving away from his hand when he went to shove her. “Hey, watch it, I’m carrying precious cargo. And the baby.”

Hearing Daryl snort at her remark as she entered the adjoining room, Rosalina smiled.

The minute she entered, all eyes turned to face her, a mixture of worry and concern in the faces of the group as they watched her. It was clearly to see she was on edge, her movements jittery and uncertain, her fingers fidgeting with the blanket the youngest Grimes child was wrapped in. 

“Hey, Rose, you alright?” Glenn ventured to ask, watching Rosalina uncertainly, Maggie close at his side.

Sensing the group’s uncertainty, Rosalina rolled her eyes, hopeful that they hadn’t heard hers’ and Daryl’s conversation in the other room-only he knew the truth about her panic attacks, and she was anxious to keep it that way. “I’m fine, don’t worry. I think exhaustion is hitting me hard and it’s making me a little hyper. I’ll be fine in a few hours, honestly.”

“Good,” Hershel nodded, but there was disbelief in his eyes. “Because we need all hands on deck today.”

“Why?” Rosalina asked, taking a seat on the stairs. Daryl sat on her other side. “What have I missed?”

“Rick put in an appearance,” Daryl murmured to her, his voice quiet enough that Carl couldn’t hear her. Rosalina could feel his warmth pressed against her side and her leg jerked involuntarily-if Daryl noticed, he said nothing. “He’s in bad shape.”

“Damn,” Rosalina muttered, cleaning her language up in the presence of the baby. Suddenly, Chess ran up to her, Rosalina smiling as he settled between hers’ and Daryl’s legs, keeping the baby close to her with one arm and freeing the other to stroke the cat’s thick fur. “Alright what’s the plan for today?”

Daryl opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly took note of Rosalina’s leg bouncing up and down in an almost violent manner-she didn’t seem able to control it. He pressed his hand down onto her knee, forcing her to keep still, her wide green eyes turning to meet his dark brown ones. “We’re clearing the lower levels while Maggie and Glenn go on a supply run. We need you here looking after those who are staying behind.”

“Really?” Rosalina raised her eyebrow, shaking her head. “Daryl, a word, outside? Now.”

She stood up, still holding Carl’s sister, stepping out of the cell block into the corridor.

Behind her, Daryl groaned, rolling his eyes as he forced himself up. The rest of the group shot him sympathetic looks. As he passed, Glenn clapped him on the back, murmuring, “Good luck with that.”

In the corridor, Rosalina glowered at Daryl as he sauntered out towards her, keeping her voice in a hushed, angry whisper. “Daryl, what the hell? Babysitting duty? I know that I’m on edge, but killing walkers might bring me down from that. Being stuck here on my own with the kids and Doc isn’t gonna help me!”

“You’re still upset over T-Dog and Carol, any dumbass can see that, Rose,” Daryl hissed back, Rosalina fixing him with a glare as she bobbed up and down, keeping the youngster quiet. “I ain’t risking your’s or anyone else’s lives taking you out with us only to have you freak out at the first walker we see. Just get your head together and we’ll get you back with the real work, but for now I want you here where people can keep an eye on you.”

“Oh, so I’m not even the one on babysitting duty, I’m being babysitted? What the hell?” She was only growing more agitated, unable to understand in her annoyance that Daryl was on the right side in this argument. “I’m not a kid, Daryl, I can handle myself.”

“Not right now you can’t,” Daryl too was getting to the end of his tether. “Look, just stay here and shut up, cause I ain’t arguing with you about this. If you wanna come with us and risk Carl’s life, then you come with us, but otherwise you stay here and get some work done.”

Eyes sparking dangerously, Rosalina scoffed, brow furrowed. “Fine. But if you bench me like this again, I won’t give up so easily.”

As she stomped around him, Daryl stared after her, eyebrows scrunched together as he questioned, “This was giving up easy?”

Back in the other room, Rosalina forced a smile on her face. Despite her smile, the rest of the group exchanged looks, biting back laughter when a weary looking Daryl followed behind her. “Alright, I’m staying here apparently. Oscar, Carl and Daryl can go sweep the lower levels, Maggie and Glenn get off on your supply run, and remember to pick me up that bottle of vodka we saw in the early part of the town we passed through last month. The rest of us can have a fun-tastic day cleaning out these god awful cells because I’m sick of looking at all those blood stains. Plus we need to organise a proper nursery for Baby Grimes here.”

Her words were spoke at a hundred-miles per minute, but they all understood her perfectly, moving into action quickly. Daryl, Carl and Oscar were the first ready to leave, Rosalina finally handing the baby over to Beth, even if only briefly, so that she could lean down to hug Carl. “Be good, alright? Don’t go Bruce Wayne style, you do not work alone. Watch Daryl and Oscar’s back like they’ll watch yours.”

“I'll be fine.” Carl assured her, returning the hug briefly before pushing her off, jutting his chin up in the same style Daryl always did when he was trying to act tough. 

Rosalina raised her eyebrows, turning to face Daryl, who was smirking. “I blame you for this, you know. He’s getting cocky.”

“He’s becoming a man,” Daryl disagreed, managing to coax a small laugh from Rosalina. “We’ll be back later, alright?”

“I’ll see you then,” Rosalina nodded, smiling. But her face was tight with nervousness, something Daryl could easily see-she didn’t like the idea of him going off alone without her to watch his back like usual. “Good luck.”

“Bye.” Daryl nodded, and there was a certain reluctance in the way he finally turned around, leaving the cell block with Oscar and Carl in front of him.

Rosalina felt the knot in her stomach tighten.

Maggie and Glenn left soon after, both suffering from one of Rosalina’s bone-crushing hugs of good luck, walking away with their ribs cracked and a pain in their sides, leaving Rosalina alone with Hershel and Beth(Axel was working in the boiler room, attempting to fix the power). And, of course, the baby. 

“Alright, folks, lets get to work.” Rosalina started, about to start organising the clean up of the cells, when Hershel interrupted her.

“Actually, I was planning to go and check on Rick,” He admitted. “He wasn’t in a good way when he came up to see us.”

“Hey, be my guest,” Rosalina agreed at once. “Just arm yourself before you leave. You sure you don’t want one of us to come with you?”

He smiled his typical fatherly smile. “No, you two stay here, I’ll be fine. I may be old and a leg down, but no walkers going to take me down.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Rosalina laughed. As he laughed, she turned to Beth with a smile, “Looks like it’s just you and I.”

“Ugh,” Beth pretended to roll her eyes, laughing when Rosalina let out an offended exclamation of hurt. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding! What do you want to tackle first?”

“I was thinking we should sort out Baby Grimes’ nursery,” Rosalina decided, starting to lead the way into the other room, Beth following with the baby girl in question in her arms. “We can put her next to Hershel’s cell so that Hawkeye has direct eye-line to her from his perch and at least one of us can get to her at all times. Plus, this is the cleanest room, and we can chuck the beds out and make space for the crib Maggie and Glenn are hopefully picking up for us.”

“Is she going to sleep in here on her own?” Beth asked, clearly alarmed. 

“Gods, no!” Rosalina was quick to assure her, laughing at the idea. “She's a newborn baby, she practically needs twenty-four/seven attention. We’ll set up spaces for her in a few cells, including my own. This is just for during the day if we need somewhere to keep her, should anything happen.”

“Alright,” Beth nodded, rolling the sleeves up on her shirt. “Then lets get to work.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I can taste you in my rage, and in the sweat above my brow!” Rosalina and Beth were singing, filling the cell block with their tuneful voices, covering the sounds of sponges hitting the walls and water slopping onto the floor. It had been a good few hours of hard work, yet their spirits were still high-even as they worked their hands bloody and raw scrubbing the unidentified stains from the cells.

In the corner of the room, the baby lay swaddled in a blanket atop a mat and surrounded by pillows, keeping her safe in place. She was content enough to listen to the singing. Sat next to her, like a small, furry guard dog sat Chess. He lay curled up in a ball, but his green eyes were open, watching his surroundings sharply. Every time Rosalina glanced over, the sight of her not so little tabby cat sat with the baby made her smile.

“And I went home, chasing twisters in the canyon!” From where she knelt on the floor, attacking a particularly difficult patch of blood on the wall, Rosalina turned to grin at Beth, who returned her smile with a joyful one of her own. “My cathedral is the badlands! Dust and devils on my conscience, come back to me, darlin’.”

“You singing about a certain someone there, Rosie?” Beth asked, raising her eyebrows suggestively. 

Rosalina let out a yell of indignation, mouth open with shock as she turned back to aim a perfect hit with her sponge at Beth, the blonde girl shrieking at the sudden shot to the face. Water dripped down her skin, her pale hand snatching the sponge up and tossing it at Rosalina mock-furiously. Rosalina dodged easily, smirking. “I was just asking a question!”

“A very personal question!” Rosalina shot back, hiding the humour in her face by turning back to face the wall. “And no, I was not singing about a certain someone.”

Beth scoffed, rolling her eyes, making Rosalina raise her eyebrow. “Problem?”

“For a really smart person, you’re an idiot,” Beth replied, surprising Rosalina. “You’re always changing your mind and how you act with your redneck hunter. One minute you’re laughing and touching his muscles up, and just generally being flirty, and then the next you’re arguing with everything he says and acting like you hate his guts. It’s exhausting for all of us to watch!”

“What do you mean ‘all of you’?” Rosalina’s eyes narrowed, turning around to face her. Realisation hit her hard, her mouth dropping open with shock. “Holy shit, you lot are gossiping about Daryl and I, aren’t you!”

“Duh,” Beth scrunched her face up, as though she thought Rosalina idiotic for not realising sooner, scrubbing hard at the floor. “We have to take our gossip moments when we get them-it’s very boring around here. We’ve even got a betting pool going on how and when you’ll finally get together.”

“Please tell me you’re fucking with me.” Rosalina had dropped her sponge by now, covering her blushing face with her hands, mortified by the idea of all eyes being on her and Daryl. “Who’s in this bet?”

“Myself, Dad, Maggie, Glenn, Rick and....T-Dog and Carol.” The last two names physically took effort for Beth to say, and a shadow was cast over the previously cheerful cell.

Feeling the panic clawing at her insides again, Rosalina rushed to keep the conversation going. “And what have you all bet on?”

“Well,” Beth was clearly grateful for the conversation change, eager to explain. “I think that it’ll be in the next month, and that it’ll be because Daryl finally got sick of you making sarcastic remarks and kisses you just to shut you up. Cliche, I know, but it’s cute. Glenn thinks you’ll be the one to kiss him, and it’ll be on your next supply run together. Maggie had the same idea, but she thinks it’ll be Daryl who kisses you because you’re too chicken to make the first move.”

“Offensive. Continue.” She couldn’t help the smile on her lips, feeling an odd sense of warmth in her chest as she imagined each of these suggested scenarios. 

Beth giggled, continuing. “Dad thinks something will happen in the next six months, and it’ll be because the rest of us get so sick of your flirting that we lock you in a room together until you make out-I have to admit, he might’ve pulled a winner with that one.”

Turning around, Rosalina cast a wary look at the younger girl. “Should I be concerned?”

“Probably,” She shrugged, continuing to explain. “Rick, of course, is the most pessimistic. He reckons you’ll both carry on dancing around one another for the next year or so before one of you lets it slip you like the other and you finally get together. He also, I should add, thinks it’ll be you who lets something slip.”

“Well,” Rosalina started, close to laughing as she took in what she had just been told. “Clearly, I have not been paying as much attention to the group as I thought I had. How long has this betting pool been going?”

For a moment, Beth paused, clearly considering. “I’d say around five months now. People keep altering their bets depending on what you two have been like that week. I remember Glenn changed his mind during December because the pair of your were huddled together on the night because of the cold, and he thought you’d get together that week. He changed again the next day, however, because Daryl trod on your foot and you called him a ‘lumbering oaf with fat feet’ and threatened to shove him into a thorn bush.”

Snorting, Rosalina nodded, grinning proudly. “I remember that day. He made me ride with Dusty in the back of the truck because he was that pissed off.”

“You see why we’re constantly changing our bets? One second you’re at each other’s throats, the next you’d kill anyone who even looked at the other,” Beth pointed out, finally sitting back on her knees, giving up on the floor-at least the floor was actually visible now, and not just a thick layer of dust and dirt. “I mean, I was honestly scared for Carol the night of the ‘massage’. I know you love...loved her, but you were ready to kill when you stormed back over to me.”

“I’m not that bad,” Rosalina disagreed. “Besides, Daryl thought I was dating Glenn for ages after he first met me, so it’s not like he’s getting jealous over me. He didn’t even care.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Beth exploded, eyes wide, throwing her sponge down. “Every time another man so much as talks to you Daryl is skulking in the corner, glaring! Didn’t you wonder why he was getting so angry every time you spoke to the prisoners so casually? Or why he ‘accidentally’ knocked Glenn in the mud that time after he helped patch you up and had to keep putting his hands on you? I was watching Daryl the whole time, and he was ready to stick an arrow through poor Glenn’s skull!”

But Rosalina was disbelieving, shaking her head. “I think you’re only seeing what you want to see. It’s Daryl, if he’s feeling something, he’ll tell someone. He doesn't bother with all this secrecy nonsense.”

Beth made a noise of contempt, but didn’t disagree, simply standing up and stretching her arms over her head. “Believe what you want to believe, but I know what I’ve seen. I think we’re done here anyway.”

“Ugh, finally,” Rosalina stood up, the muscles in her arms and back aching painfully. “Shall we admire our work?”

“Sure.” Beth laughed. They stood up, Rosalina walking over to give Chess a quick fuss, picking up the baby. As she moved to stand with Beth just outside the cells, Chess ran with her, nuzzling his head into her leg. 

At an estimate, Rosalina would say they’d been working for at least four hours, and what they’d done in those four hours was highly impressive. 

The floor had a shining glint to it that could only be achieved by hard work and lots of water. All of the cells that people were sleeping in had been scrubbed down hard, the blood stains removed and the rotting mattresses removed, tossed outside by Hershel when he returned from checking on Rick. There was no longer a thick layer of grime on the surface of each floor, and the blankets had been washed to the best of their abilities and were hanging up on a makeshift clothes line outside. 

Rosalina had even, despite both Hershel and Beth’s warning, managed to get high enough to scrub down the tall, barred window, allowing more sunlight to sneak through, giving the room less of a dingy and depressing atmosphere. She wasn’t sure, however, that it was quite worth the multiple cuts and scrapes that littered her arms from each time her precarious pile of objects had tumbled to the floor, taking her along with it(she’d forced both father and daughter to keep her escapades a secret, as she didn’t want another scolding from a certain Daryl Dixon).

To make it appear more homely, Beth had gathered as many blankets and pillows as they could find from supply closets in the closer halls of the prison, propping them up in the corner of the room, making a comfortable relaxation corner where Rosalina had propped up her books, cassettes and the cassette player. They’d also found tape, and stuck up some of the posters Rosalina had been stealing from houses and hoarding in Maggie’s car. The three band posters of various old metal bands only Rosalina seemed to know had been spread out across the top row of cells, while the more plain ones of various inspirational quotes and cute animal pictures had been set up either in the nursery or along the main wall. 

“We’ve done ourselves proud, Lovegood,” Rosalina smirked, wrapping an arm around Beth’s shoulders, looking around proudly. “The rest will be happy to come back to a disease-free home tonight.”

“They better be, I have blisters all over my hands!” Beth complained, making them both laugh. 

Clapping her on the back, Rosalina retracted her arm, beginning to head towards the multi-functional dining/meeting/armoury/everything room. “Now let’s set to work on this room!”

“Fuck no.”

“Langauge!”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Despite being exhausted from the long hours of cleaning in the prison walls, Rosalina and Beth did not relent with their determination to complete as many jobs as possible, standing out in the courtyard with the sun beating down against their backs. 

Rosalina frowned, looking up at the sun’s position in the sky. It was quickly drawing towards late afternoon, and Glenn and Maggie had yet to return, despite their promise to be back by midday. She was growing increasingly worried.

“Beth?” She called the girl, who was piling her arms high with freshly washed blankets, pulling them off the makeshift clothes’ line one at a time. “I’m gonna take a car into town and find Maggie and Glenn. They’ve been gone a while and I don’t trust them not to be messing about and find themselves out after dark.”

“You can’t go on your own,” Beth was quick to decide. “I’ll come with you.”

“No, you’re needed here,” Rosalina shook her head, already glancing between the vehicle options in front of her, debating between Rick’s truck or one of the spare cars they’d driven up to keep on prison grounds. “I’ll be back within the hour, trust me. And I’ll take my full artillery so no walkers will get the jump on me. I need to go anyway, Chess needs some proper cat food.”

But Beth was clearly uncomfortable with the idea of Rosalina going off on her own, and shook her head, manoeuvring the blankets so they were balancing against her hip. “At least go and fetch Daryl and go with him. It’s too dangerous to go on your own.”

“Beth, I’ll be fine,” Rosalina insisted, turning to give her a reassuring smile, shaking her head. “It’s a quick retrieval mission.”

“When does anything go that simply for us?” Beth pointed out tiredly, but she could sense that Rosalina had made her mind up. “If you’re not back by dark, I will have Daryl hauling your ass home, and he will be pissed.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, Lovegood.” Rosalina brushed her off. 

Within a matter of minutes, Rosalina had herself kitted out with full weaponry. Her daggers were strapped to her thighs, her gun pushed into the holster of her jeans and a rucksack sat on her back with a round of bullets in case anything turned nasty. She chose to leave her sword behind, not wanting it slowing her down if she needed to run.

“Please be careful.” Beth’s voice was nervous as she heaved open the gates to the prison, her eyes meeting Rosalina’s through the open window of the car.

She’d tried to stop her, even searching for Hershel or Daryl, or even Rick to tell her no, but she’d failed miserably.

Despite her friend’s concerns, Rosalina only grinned wickedly. “I’ll be fine, kid, don’t worry for much. I once travelled for three days to get to a music festival in France, only to wind up in Belgium, on a payphone to my mother begging her to buy me a plane ticket. Even she wasn’t as worried as you’re acting.”

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Beth simply moved back, watching nervously as Rosalina drove away from the safety of the prison walls. 

She was right to be nervous.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So what, I am a rockstar, I got my rock moves, and I don’t need you,” Rosalina sang, bobbing her head to a beat in her head only she could hear while she drove. “And guess what, I’m having more fun, and now that we’re done, I’m gonna show you tonight!”

Driving down the long roads, Rosalina couldn’t help but miss her home. Everything was so different in America, even the smallest things, like the roads. It was something that always bothered her.

The only way to get a road as long as the stretches she was made to travel down in Britain would be the motorways. Otherwise, it was twisting country roads that were too narrow for any American car to fit down, bushes and flower blossoms surrounding every curving lane. She missed her little yellow Beetle car, which she’d never admit to owning, but couldn’t help but love.

She missed the English accent too, and the quiet sarcasm that seemed to naturally come with it. She missed seeing houses that weren’t separated by fences, but instead were squished together in long rows, just like the terraced house she grew up in as a child. She missed it all.

But her silent, wistful thought track was pulled to an end as she found herself outside the nursery store Glenn and Maggie had been sent to, finding their car parked outside. She parked next to them, rolling her eyes as she heard Maggie’s giggling.

They were clearly fine.

Walking up to the door of the shop, Rosalina covered her eyes, one hand on the handle of her biggest dagger. “If you guys are fucking, I will honestly stab myself in the eye.”

“Shit!” 

Hearing Glenn’s cry of surprise, Rosalina grinned, removing her hand to find a disgruntled Glenn and Maggie stood with their hands on their chests, breathing heavily from Rosalina’s sudden entrance. “Rose, what the fuck?”

Laughing, she rolled her eyes, leaning down to pick up the tub of formula milk that one of the pair had dropped. “You guys were taking a while and I was getting concerned-I figured it would be a good idea to check on you and make sure everyone was alive and non-carnivorous.”

“We’re fine, Rose.” Glenn rolled his eyes. “Possibly going into cardiac arrest, but fine.”

“Glad to hear it,” Rosalina shot them a taunting smirk, Maggie unable to help herself from snorting with laughter. Glenn stuck his middle finger up at them both. “Now, come on, I promised Beth I’d be back by dark, otherwise she’s sending Hawkeye after me.”

Hearing this, Maggie and Glenn exchanged a knowing look, one which Rosalina now understood after her conversation with Beth that morning. 

She waited until they began to load up the car before making a sly comment directed at Glenn. “So, Glenn, I was thinking I might make the next supply run with Daryl. Thoughts?”

Immediately, his eyes widened, head snapping around to face Maggie. The farmer’s daughter looked equally as concerned. “Er, yeah...that would be fine, I guess?”

“Yeah, I thought so,” Rosalina nodded, before rounding on Maggie, “Long as I’m not too chicken to ask him to come with me!”

The effect was instant, much to Rosalina’s joy.

“Who told you?” Maggie demanded, posture tensed. Glenn looked terrified, taking a step back away from Rosalina, fearful of her reaction to discovering the betting pool going on within the group.

“Lovegood, who else?” Rosalina replied with a scoff. “And if I wanted to kiss him, which I don’t, then I could totally kiss him.”

“Exactly what I said!” Glenn hurried to agree, eager to keep himself out of the doghouse. But Rosalina quickly spun around to face him, finger raised.

“You, keep your mouth shut!” She ordered, fighting back a laugh at his fear. “We’ll talk about all of this when we get home!”

“And where is it you good people call home?” A deep southern drawl suddenly called out to them, all three snapping around with their guns drawn to find a disconcertingly familiar man pointing a gun at them threateningly.

His face was an angry red, looking like a mixture of sun burn and high blood pressure. His head was shaved, spikes of light blonde hair that matched his stubble sprouting above his ears. One of his hands was missing, replaced by a sharp, pointed device that looked like it could skewer a walker with one shove.

It didn’t take long for Rosalina to put a name to his face, her brain making the connection at the same as Glenn asked in shock, “Merle?”

The redneck, who’s face was bloodied and mud stained, laughed aloud in surprise. He opened his arms in what was probably supposed to seem like an inviting gesture, but the ‘shocked’ grin on his face made Rosalina grip her gun tighter. “Wow!”

Slowly, he dropped his gun on the floor, beginning to walk towards them with his hands-well, hand and weapon-raised. Maggie, confused by the familiarity between them all, ordered immediately. “Hey, back the hell up!”

“Oh, okay, okay, honey!” Rosalina’s lip curled in distaste, hating his patronising tone. Clearly, Merle Dixon hadn’t changed.

“You made it.” Glenn said, his face pale, a light sheen of sweat sticking to his skin.

“Can you tell me?” Merle started, losing the grin, suddenly becoming desperate-at least, that’s what Rosalina assumed he was trying to portray. “Is my brother alive?”

“Daryl’s alive.” Rosalina was quick to answer, her words short and clipped. 

Staring at her, Merle breathed a sigh of relief, his face breaking out into a grisly grin again. “Hey, you take me to him, and I’ll call it even on everything that happened up there in Atlanta. No hard feelings. Huh?”

Rosalina bit back sharp words, knowing that even with three guns trained on him and his own on the floor, Merle Dixon was a danger. Especially with a blade fixed on his stump. 

He seemed to notice her gaze. “Oh yeah, you like that, huh? Well, I found myself a medical supply warehouse. Fixed it up myself. Pretty cool, huh?”

“Definitely, especially for a guy with only one hand.” Rosalina bit out, Glenn casting her a warning glance over his shoulder. Merle’s grin dipped.

Taking control, Glenn said tensely to Merle, “We’ll tell Daryl you’re here, and he’ll come out to meet you.”

“Oh, hold on!” Merle began to advance forward. Rosalina took a step towards him, gun raised challengingly, her eyes narrowed in a glare. 

“Stay there.” She growled out, Merle’s eyes raising in surprise.

“You got even ballsier than the last time I saw you, sweetheart,” His eyes trailed up and down her form, and Rosalina was ready to beat his head in with the butt of her gun. “I mean, it’s a miracle we all found each other. Didn’t you miss me?”

“Not especially.” She shot him down, and seeing a crinkle form in his brow, Glenn decided to take over again.

“Just calm down, Merle.”

The redneck lifted his arms. “I am calm! Come on now, you can trust me!”

“No.” Glenn was firm, and Rosalina was relieved he wasn’t quick to buy into Merle’s game. Not for one second did she trust this man, not after the trouble he had caused them in a few short hours on the rooftop in Atlanta. “You trust us. Stay here.”

Merle’s grin twitched. 

Out of nowhere, he lunged forward, letting out an angry yell as he snatched a hidden gun from the waistband of his jeans, shooting the window of Maggie’s truck. The trio scattered with yells of surprise.

Rosalina tumbled to the ground next to Glenn, Maggie dropping the opposite way, hiding behind the truck. 

Diving back up, Rosalina swung around the other side to find Merle already crouching on the ground with Maggie in a headlock, trapped between his legs. He had his gun pointed at her temple, his blade against her neck.

“Shit.” Rosalina cursed, Glenn joining her on her other side, both with their guns pointed at Merle.

“Let go of her!” Glenn ordered forcefully, his voice carrying around the empty parking lot.

But Merle was very clearly in charge now, as neither Glenn or Rosalina were going to risk Maggie’s life to take a dangerous shot at the redneck. “Put those guns in the car, right now. And the British cunt, drop all those pretty little knives.”

Glaring forcefully, the pair did as ordered, Rosalina yanking off her thigh holsters with force. Her knives clattered against the ground. “There you go. Now we’re going to go for a little drive.”

Rosalina’s heart thumped in her chest. “Wherever the hell you’re taking us, you don’t need all three of us. Let Mags and Glenn go-”  
“Shut the fuck up!” Merle ordered, Glenn’s hand snapping out to grab Rosalina’s wrist, holding her back in case she lost her temper. But Rosalina was too nervous to act rashly, especially when Merle Dixon was involved. “Get in the car Glenn, you’re driving. You, little miss, can ride in the back with me while I keep an eye on your girl here.”

“Let her go then,” Rosalina pressed. “Trade me with her. I don’t give a fuck.”

Merle smirked at her offer. “Get on your knees.”

“Rose, don’t!” Maggie cried out, letting out a scream of pain when Merle forcefully yanked on her hair. Glenn started aside Rosalina, but she gave him a subtle kick, warning him to stay where he was.

Grimacing, she put her hands on her head, slowly lowering herself to the floor. “Maggie, just keep quiet. I’m fine. Everything is going to be fine.”

“Relax, Maggie,” Merle taunted her with her own name, murmuring in her ear, making both Maggie and Glenn flinch in anger and disgust. Rosalina’s mouth pressed into a tight line. “She said she’s fine.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, asshole, just point the damn gun at me and let Maggie go!” Rosalina cried out, hating the way she was forced to watch Merle’s hands curl around Maggie’s body. She mentally willed for the ability of telekinesis, glancing at her weapons on the floor beside her. 

“Calm down, little girl. You’re not gonna miss your turn.” His voice sent shivers down Rosalina’s back, and when she bent her head down to stare at the floor, she felt a rough, calloused hand wrap around her upper arm.

The second she felt his grip, she yanked hard, sending him tumbling to the ground with a grunt of surprise. “Maggie, Glenn, run!”

But the pair stood stock still in fear, because Merle was on his feet far quicker than Rosalina had anticipated. Her hand was barely touching her knives before his boot came down hard on her limb, making her scream. “Fuck!”

“Nice try, bitch.” Merle murmured in her ear, his grip on her arm hard enough to cut of the blood supply to her injured hand. He yanked her up, pressing his gun against her head while she whimpered, the pain in her hand enough to make tears flow freely down her face. She felt certain he must’ve been able to hear her thumping pulse from where his head leered inches away from her neck, yanking her back up onto my face. “Both of you, in the damn car before I blow her fucking head off.”

Shivering, Maggie hurried to climb into the passenger’s side, a fuming Glenn stomping around to yank the door open to the driver’s seat, slamming it closed behind him.

His breath hot on her neck, Merle murmured close into Rosalina’s ear. “Get in the back seat. Don’t try anything, because I will fucking shoot you.”

His bladed hand came up towards her hair, lifting a strand of green. Somehow, the action managed to come across threatening, and Rosalina’s knees nearly buckled as she did as ordered, climbing into the backseat of the car with Merle close behind her.

Once in the car, Merle’s arm wrapped around her waist, yanking her into his lap. His arm squeezed hard around her middle, and she automatically pulled her elbow back sharply to hit him. But he blocked it with his arm.

“Let me go.” She hissed dangerously, her whole body rigid with fear, holding her throbbing hand close to her body. He smirked.

“Sit still,” His gun slipped between the gap between the seat and the headrest of the passenger’s seat, barrel pressing against the back of Maggie’s neck, making her gasp at the feel of the cold metal against her skin. “Lets hit the road, Glenn.”

The man glanced back, looking between Merle and the two women desperately. Seeing no other option, he grit his teeth, slamming down on the pedal and pulling away from the safety of the shop, leaving behind a basket of supplies and Rosalina’s beloved daggers.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	23. Hoist the Colours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mature content with some dark scenes(I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s Merle Dixon-you can see where this is going). 
> 
> Trigger warnings include: sexual assault, physical assault, mental abuse(possibly more but these are the main topics).

Rosalina couldn’t believe her own predicament.

Sat in a murky room, with the limited lighting of only a dim, orange-glowing lamp, she was trapped with her hands tied tightly behind her back. Her legs had been forced wide apart, ankles bound with thick pieces of duct tape around the front legs of the metal chair. In her mouth, she heaved at the revolting taste of an old loincloth being used to keep her quiet.

She’d been shoved into the room by a group of men, fighting against their wandering hands as they jeered at her, throwing her into the chair. She’d landed a couple of good hits on a few of them before she was gagged and bound. She wasn’t sure if the other two had also been gagged, but she had feeling her situation was simply because of the violent curses she had thrown at one of the men who had travelled a little too far south while checking for hidden weapons. 

The walls of the room were paper thin, something that she knew had clearly been a deliberate choice as she heard all the grunts and yells from the room furthest to her, listening to Merle interrogate the bravely silent Glenn.

As she listened to the sounds of Merle’s voice slowly getting louder and louder, she leaned her body forwards, forcing herself to stretch to the point that her mouth touched her knee. Pushing her tongue against the filthy material that had been shoved into her mouth, she rubbed her mouth and jaw against the bone of her knee, pushing the material down until it was around her neck.

“Ah,” She breathed a sigh of relief, turning her head and spitting out the taste of filth from her mouth. “Finally.”

Her new found freedom was a relief, but she knew it was quickly going to be stripped from her again when she heard Glenn let out a cry of pain as she only assumed Merle had landed another harsh punch. She couldn’t keep her mouth shut any longer.

“Fuck you asshole,” She yelled, her voice at top volume, knowing it would carry through the walls. “The only reason you can throw any good punches is because you’re building all your strength in the one hand cause it’s the only one you can jerk off with anymore!”

She clenched her fists, fear coursing through her body as she heard a thump. Heavy footsteps grew closer outside her prison, and she forced her trembling arms to still. The door opened, revealing a bloody and red-faced Merle, a glare on his face.

With confidence she didn’t have, Rosalina smirked. “Room service?”

“Who the fuck do you think you are, girlie?” Merle snarled, stomping into the room, slamming the door closed behind him. 

Rosalina was left alone in the room with Merle Dixon, no hope of interference or a certain hunter running through the door to save her. No, this time she was alone. And she was scared.

“Last time I checked, a British cunt,” She answered his question, jutting her chin up. “Now, is it part of your job description to be a prick, or does that just come naturally?”

He stared at her long and hard, before a cruel smile broke out on his face, snorting. “You’re a funny one, eh? Why? You think I won’t hit a girl? Just cause you got tits, and some fine ones at that, don’t mean I’ll hold back.”

“Yeah, well I’m sure it’s easier for you when the person you’re attacking is tied up,” She knew what she was playing was a long shot, but she had to try. “Why don’t you untie me, then lets see if you can hit a girl?”

“Nice try, sugartits,” Rosalina hadn’t experienced this vulgarity since she was working clubs with her band at home. It made her skin crawl. “But I like seeing you were you should be. All tied up, at my mercy.”

Rosalina rolled her eyes, shaking her head. The movement made her stiff neck ache. “Ugh, so typical. Asshole with a submissive kink. You’ll have to do better than that to scare me, dickless. I’ve spent too much of my life dealing with the lowest of the low, the coldest of the cold. You’re pathetic compared to them.”

He glowered, losing the smile slowly. “Well, to be exact-you’re pretty pathetic compared to anyone.”

The punch hit her square in the face, a cracking sound making Rosalina gag as excruciating pain shot through her nose. 

For a moment, her vision was dotted with black spots. But when it returned, she was left with the start of a painful headache, and the sight of a smirking Merle, watching her dazed state as she attempted to recover from the hit. “Not so chatty now, are we?”

Lip curling, Rosalina snarled up at him through heavy eyes, “Not even the devil himself could get me to shut up. And you ain’t got a patch on him.”

He grunted, forcefully kicking her chair backwards, Rosalina keeping her head up and neck straight to avoid her head bouncing off the floor. She let out a groan of pain as she hit the ground. 

Her whole body tensed, feeling a heavy hand beginning to crawl up the inside of one leg, reaching her thigh and squeezing. Her eyes shut tight, desperate not to show her fear. His fat fingers squeezed harder.

“Not so brave now, are we?” Merle taunted, his hand beginning to climb higher. “Now we can really have some fun.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, at home in the prison, Rick, Hershel and Daryl stood imposingly around Michonne, who they had brought in from the outside with a gun shot wound to her thigh. 

The young dark haired woman glared around at them all, her stance tense, glancing around looking for an exit. But they had her caged in. “Where did you get the formula?”

Rick gestured to the box she’d carried with her, now sitting in the corner, forgotten in the midst of the growing tension between the group and the stranger. “The supplies were dropped by a young asian guy. There’s a holster full of knives in there that were ditched by a loud-mouthed green haired girl.”

All three men straightened, Daryl’s heart jumping in his chest. “What happened?”

“They were taken.” Michonne answered shortly, but there was an element of sympathy in her eyes.

“Taken by who?” Daryl snarled angrily, starting forward. Rick shoved him back, shooting him a warning glare.

“Stop,” he ordered, turning back to Michonne. He was very clearly as worried as Daryl, but he hid it better. “Taken by who?”

“By the same son of a bitch who shot me.” This answer didn’t satisfy Rick, who decided to take on an angrier approach, leaning down so that he was closer to Michonne, his face threateningly close to hers.

“Hey, these are our people! You answer our questions!” He ordered sharply, his hand shooting out to jab her gunshot wound.

Michonne reacted as though he’d forced a dagger through her wound, darting away from him, snarling up into his face furiously, “Don’t you ever touch me again!”

Daryl has his crossbow raised, jabbing it into her face, growling out, “You better start talking, or you’re going to have a much bigger problem than a fucking gunshot wound!”

Tense, Michonne turned her head, glaring up at him along the barrel of his bow. She could see his face growing red, his hands shaking, and she bit back a smirk. “Find them yourself.”

From the side, Rick carefully assessed the situation. After a few seconds of tense silence, he lifted his hand, lowering the fuming Daryl’s bow. “Put it down. Look, you came here for a reason.”

His words were spoken calmly, and it was a wistful glimpse back to how he’d been before the hard months on the road. Back to when he’d been somewhere close to mentally stable. 

He’s chosen his words correctly, as Michonne stared at him briefly, before releasing a sigh. “There’s a town, Woodbury, about seventy-five survivors. I think they were taken there.”

Rick couldn’t help but be disbelieving, keeping one hand on Daryl’s bow, forcing him to keep from firing. He could sense his panic upon hearing Rosalina had been taken, but there was nothing he could do for him now except find out what he could from the stranger. “A whole town?”

“It’s run by this guy. He calls himself the Governor-pretty boy, charming, Jim Jones type.” Michonne’s mouth curled in disgust.

“He got muscle?”

“Paramilitary wannabes. They have armed sentries on every wall.”

From behind Rick, Daryl demanded. “You know a way in?”

Michonne nodded. “Place is secure from walkers, but we could slip our way through.”

Hearing this, Rick felt his panic begin to lessen. At least they had an ally to help them save their stolen trio. “How did you know to find us?”

“They mentioned a prison, said which direction it was in, said it was a straight shot.”

There was a tense moment of silence before Rick nodded. He took his hand from Daryl’s crossbow, knowing he wouldn’t shoot if Michonne was the only one who could help, stepping back to point to Hershel. “This is Hershel, father of the dark-haired girl was was taken. He’ll take care of your wound.”

Gesturing for Daryl to follow him, the redneck obeyed orders, moving to follow Rick out of the room. But then he paused in front of Michonne, stepping into her personal face, spitting as he snarled, “If you’re leading us on, I will put an arrow through your skull. You get us to Rose and the rest, and you live. You get us or her killed, I’ll make sure you die. Got it?”

Michonne glowered up at him. “Got it.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I said, don’t touch me!” Rosalina thrashed and pulled and fought as hard as she could against the wandering hands of the men, spitting and snarling as they jeered at her.

Merle had dragged her into a room, her hands still bound behind her back, a smirk on his face as he left her trapped with a group of fifteen or more men. Their attacks had been instant, hands groping every part of her body, shoving and pushing to try and attempt to make them stop. But they just kept coming in their masses. 

It was all too familiar, the gut-wrenching feeling of unwelcome hands squeezing on her body, the joking laughter as she fought them off in vain. The last time, though, she hadn’t been bound, and there had only been one. She hadn’t been trapped by so many of them, all darting forwards for a feel.

“Don’t fucking touch me!” She repeated with vengeance, slamming her head forward, crashing skulls with the man closest to her who’s hands had begun to pull at her binder under her shirt. 

“Bitch!” He growled, clutching at his aching head, fixing her with a threatening glare. The men around him laughed, shoving him to the back of the crowd away from her view, eager to get their fill of the young woman left at their mercy. 

“Hey, come on pretty lady, smile for us!” One of them jeered at her, Rosalina spitting in his face. But the action only made them laugh, the same man reaching forward to pinch her arse. She yanked herself away from him, only to end up tumbling forward, finding herself caught in another’s clutches.

“Come on give us a show!”

One of them reached out, grabbing the straps of her shirt, using a dagger to cut through the material(the blade scratched her skin, but Rosalina only flinched). It fell to the floor, leaving her in a binder and bra.

“Hurry up, Gaz, we wanna see her!”

Blind panic began to set in for Rosalina. Her heart pounded painfully against her ribcage, her pulse thrumming in her ears, blindly throwing herself back and forth, trying to escape their hands. There was no organisation to her panic, simply fear.

“Grab her arms, hold her still!”

Strong hands snatched at her upper arms, lifting her up off the ground, keeping trapped in place. She kicked out, hitting those closest to her, but two more men came forward and grabbed ahold of her ankles. She was stuck, held in the air as they leered and jeered around her.

“Come on, lads, get the rest of it off!”

Rosalina screamed, spitting and swearing. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be happening. “Get off me!”

Warm, fat fingers yanked her binder away. Now she only had her bra protecting her from their filthy, watchful eyes.

“Don’t get too excited yet, Harry, we ain’t seen anything yet!”

Rosalina gagged, her breathing becoming harsh and heavy. Her eyes slammed closed, unable to watch them touching her anymore, shaking like a leaf in the wind. “Let me go. Just let me go!”

“Still got a mouth on her!”

“And the bra! Come on, get it off, we wanna see something!”

Her last remaining protection was yanked from her body, leaving her bare to them all. It struck Rosalina how cold the room felt on her chest despite all the warm bodies that crowded her. 

“Now that’s a sight!”

“She’s got a nice pair!”

“Seems a waste, I never like more than a handful!”

“Then fuck off and let the rest of us enjoy, fucker!”

Rosalina pulled on the restraints around her wrists, struggling against the binds. She felt the bodies of the men draw closer, and she finally lost it completely, too vulnerable and alone to stand waiting for rescue.

Her eyes opened, narrowing into a glare as she fought hard against them all. She pulled herself from the grips of the two men, sinking her teeth into the hand of another, turning to bring her knee up into the groin of the one to her left. She attacked like a savage wild cat that had been trapped into a corner, drawing blood and groans from every man that came towards her.

By the time Merle returned, she was stood in the middle of the room, tear stains running down her cheeks with the binds that had been around her wrists ripped to pieces on the floor. Her upper half was exposed, covered with fast forming bruises and scratches. But around her, the men lay on the floor, grunting and groaning in pain, equally as painful looking cuts and bruises littering their skin. A few were out cold, dead to the world, the only signs of life being the staggered rise and fall of their chests. 

The sight made Merle whistle lowly.

To anyone else, it might’ve looked like Rosalina had won her fight. But Merle saw how she shook, flinching in fear when he reached out to hand her back her bra and binder. Having freed herself of her restraints, she forcefully yanked the bra back on, clutching herself fearfully with her binder clenched in one hand.

Merle led her out of the room, a smirk on his face. This interrogation was going to go a hell of a lot smoother now. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Your little green-haired friend is back, y’all!” Merle banged on the doors of Glenn and Maggie’s cells as he led the silent Rosalina forward. “She’s looking a little worse for wear, though! Maybe it’s time you all got to see one another again!”

Rosalina was silent as the first door on her left was thrown open, Merle forcing her inside.

She stumbled into the room, finding a bloodied and beaten Glenn stood ready for a fight, his hands shaking as he clutched a broken chair leg in his hand. Seeing Rosalina in her cut up and shaken state, he froze, red-stained mouth falling open. “Rose?”

Biting down on her lip, she shook her head, forcing back a sob. “See, she ain’t so chatty now!”

As Merle finished his taunting, the door was flung open again, Rosalina turning to find Maggie being forced into the room by a tall, dark-haired man with a cold stare and perfectly ironed shirt clutching her upper arm.

Maggie was in a similar state to herself, her upper half stripped of all clothing(although Merle had at least returned Rosalina’s bra to her), arms wrapped around herself to protect her dignity. Unlike Rosalina, however, she was freely sobbing-and she didn’t have the same painful marks marring her skin. 

The sight of her made Rosalina’s stomach twist, and she darted forward, fighting against Merle when he restrained her. Another man ran in to pull back the fuming Glenn. “Let her go!”

“I thought I’d shut you up.” Merle muttered, pulling on her arm.

The man holding Maggie glared down at her, and through watery eyes, Rosalina furiously glowered back. “We’re through with games. Now, one of you is going to give up your camp.”

He aimed his gun at Maggie’s temple, staring intently at Glenn, waiting for him to break-it was easy to see who the couple among the trio was. Rosalina pressed her mouth tightly closed, shooting apologetically desperate looks at Maggie. But she wouldn’t break.

The same man, seeing that neither Rosalina or Glenn would break, decided to change tactics. He strode forward, directed the barrel of his gun down at Glenn, and within seconds Maggie cried out, “The prison!”

Rosalina stiffened in Merle’s grip, white hot panic rushing over her, setting every nerve in her body on edge. “The one near Nunez? That place is overrun.”

Seeing the gun still pointed at the devastated Glenn, Maggie sobbed out. “We took it.”

“How many are you?”

“Ten. We have ten now.”

“Ten people cleared that whole prison of biters, huh?” Merle scoffed.

Rosalina pulled against his grip. “We’re strong, bitch. Stronger than any of your pathetic excuses for men in this dump. And guess what, jackasses? They’ll be here. They’re coming back for us.”

“Shut her up, will you?” The man in control asked, and Merle was happy to oblige, wrapping an arm around her waist and covering her mouth with his hand, roughly pulling her from the room. Rosalina met eyes with Glenn, managing to shake her head, warning him to keep his mouth shut. He nodded, looking helplessly as she was dragged away, the door closing behind her. 

“You really need to learn to stop running your mouth, little girl,” Breathing against her neck, Merle murmured in her ear, making Rosalina jerk away from him. “Or not so little as I’ve been told.”

For once, Rosalina was silent, refusing to spur him on. She knew that if she was subjected to anymore ridicule that day, she was going to break. The trio was already one down with Maggie, and she wasn't about to leave Glenn on his own. 

She was shoved back into her previous room, Merle entering and closing the door behind him with a smirk.

“You were a pretty little sight when I found your earlier, you know?” He started, Rosalina stumbling backwards as he advanced towards her, her back hitting the wall. “Tits out, breathing heavy, nice and sweaty. That’s a sight men like to see.”

“Your friends didn’t seem to enjoy it so much.” Rosalina snapped, mind-numbing fear spreading through her body. Every nerve seemed to be alight with terror, growing stronger as Merle drew closer and closer. His footsteps seemed to echo louder the closer he got, Rosalina’s eyes watching his every step closer to her intently. She didn't want to look at his smirking face. 

“Oh, they did,” His movements suddenly sped up, trapping her with his body, flattening her against the wall. Immediately, she made a fist with her hand, arm flying up to punch him. He blocked it, pinning her arms against the wall with his own, his blade grazing the top of her head-a silent threat. “Until you fought back. But me? I think that’s the best bit.”

“You like raping women then?” Rosalina knew, no matter the person, the word rape always had an effect. And she could see the slight stunned look in Merle’s eyes at first. But it quickly vanished, causing her stomach to drop. 

“No, no, not rape, little darling,” He laughed, his hot breath hitting her face. Rosalina was certain she was going to be sick, but there was nothing left in her to come back up. “Just a lack of foreplay I guess. They’re never quite ready for me.”

She squeezed her eyes tightly shut as he readjusted them so that her wrists were pinned above her head with only one of his arms. Slowly, his hand trailed down her body, gripping her breast and squeezing tight. A gasp of pain escaped her mouth.

“That’s right baby,” Merle’s voice had dropped, losing some of it’s rough edge. “I wanna hear you.”

As his hand slid down her form, Rosalina pressed her lips together so harshly they went from pink to white. She didn’t open them even as his hand moved down between her legs.

Even as his fingers worked through the waistband of her jeans, pressing hard against the soft skin that she didn’t want him to touch.

Even as her legs were stretched open, despite her attempts to fight him. The tears poured silently down her face as she was trapped, frozen in place. In the corner of the room, her eyes caught sight of a small mouse running along the wall. She focused on that, her sobs muffled as he began to undo the buckle of his belt.

She just watched the little mouse, running around with no idea of what was happening, undisturbed by the grunts and cries that filled the room. 

She just watched her little mouse.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time they reached the town of Woodbury, the sky was dark. 

Michonne silently led them through the forest towards the town, Oscar close behind her, followed by Rick and finally an agitated Daryl. All four of the rescue team were armed, and around his waist, Daryl carried Rosalina’s knives so that she had something to defend herself with when the time came. 

Reaching the edge of the forest, Michonne brought them to a silent stop behind a car, the four crouching down to peer over the bonnet. Before them was a tall wall built up from various materials and boxes, hiding behind it a regular, run of the mill American town that looked out of place against the military-like defences that protected it. Atop the wall, four men stood, holding weapons in their hands, a spotlight beside one of them. 

“So how are we doing this?” Daryl asked, anxious to make a move. Rosalina was close, and it was setting him further on edge, wanting desperately to drag her out of the town and get her back to the safety of their group-to the safety only he knew he could give her. 

But as he turned to face Michonne, he saw her slip away. “Damn it.”

Rick turned, seeing the woman was gone, and cursed. “Shit. Looks like we’ve gotta do this on our own. We gotta downsize.”

Both men nodded, the three starting to remove their extra artillery. Daryl kept Rosalina’s knives with him. “There ain’t no way we’re gonna be able to check in all them buildings, not with all them guards there.”

Rick grunted in response to Daryl’s concern, all three suddenly spinning around when they heard a crunching of leaves underfoot. They found Michonne crouching behind them, a finger on her lips, using her other hand to point right. “Come on.”

Following her in slight surprise that she hadn’t abandoned them, the men quietly jogged behind her around the perimeter of the town. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was nobody guarding the hallway outside Rosalina’s cell. She would’ve heard their footsteps, but it was dead silent.

The green of her eyes seemed even more brilliant against the harsh redness of their usually white surrounding. It was one of the many signs of her crying fit, along with the tear tracks running down her pale face, and the shaking of her mouth. Her cell smelt like sick, and the puddle of vomit that sat in the corner of the room made Rosalina feel queasy every time she glanced over at it-there was nothing left for her to bring back up though.

As she unsteadily pushed herself up off the floor, her heart pounded painfully against her ribcage, but it didn’t stop her from stumbling forward to the door. 

Merle had left some minutes before.

“Help!” Her voice shook as she tested for any sign of guards. “I’m bleeding out! Help!”

Nobody stirred outside, the room silent other than the heavy breaths rattling Rosalina’s chest. 

She eventually felt brave enough to push open the door, running down the corridor without a second glance.

Busting into Glenn’s cell, she found her friend stood holding a sharp, blood stained weapon. Beside him, wearing his shirt, stood Maggie, holding a similar looking weapon. The comforting sight of her friends nearly made her knees give out from underneath her.

Hearing her entry, they both spun around, weapons raised and muscles tense, ready to pounce. But they relaxed upon seeing it was only Rosalina, who slammed the door behind her.

Within seconds, she had been yanked into a hug by the taller girl, desperate hands twisting in her hair to make sure she really was here. “Oh god, Rose, are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Rosalina’s eyes were watering but she played it brave anyway, grateful they couldn’t see the marks that lay scattered above the tops of her thighs, or guess of the pain that sat between them. “Maggie, honestly, I’m fine. I promise.”

“Bull-shit,” Maggie dismissed with a shaky laugh, pulling back to look at her properly. “We need to find you a shirt.”

“I’m just glad I got to keep my bra. Hard to find another in my size these days.” Rosalina admitted jokingly, accepting a hug from Glenn next, who clung to her as tightly as Maggie had.

“Are you both alright?” Rosalina murmured against Glenn’s shoulder, pulling away to look at the purple bruise forming around his eye. It was badly swollen, practically sealed shut, but he still managed to see the red eyes of Rosalina.  “Where did you get the weapons from?”

“Walker bones,” Glenn replied, gesturing to the mangled walker body that had been left in the corner of the room. “Merle brought it in to try and scare me into talking. Now we’re planning on using it for an escape mission.”

Hearing this, Rosalina managed a shaky smirk, but it looked out of place on her face. It was like she was in auto-pilot mode, repeating her usual actions but with little thought of what they meant. The couple exchanged a brief concerned look over her head. “Room for one more?”

Within minutes they were mobilised, Rosalina holding the walker’s forearm in her hand, clutching it like a lifeline. She had been posed at the door, listening closely for any sounds of movement, Maggie and Glenn both close beside her. “I hear footsteps. Ready?”

“Lets go.” Maggie said with grim determination, Glenn’s mouth fixed in a straight line. All three were far too furious to be scared anymore. 

Waiting until the footsteps were just outside the door, Rosalina held up her hand. The sound of the footsteps made her mind flash back to minutes before, and she was struck with a sickened feeling. Nonetheless, she pushed it to the back of her mind, unsteadily holding up her hand and counting down from three. Then, she threw the door open, all three attacking in a rush.

Rosalina took the guy closest to her, slashing the sharp bone across his throat, driving a deep gash through his neck that had him choking on blood in seconds. There was a vicious edge to her actions that she’d never held before, which she knew was the fault of the ghostly presence of unwelcome fingers pressing against her skin, the traumatising images running through her mind as she screamed, taking out another man behind her. This time, although she knew he was dead, she dug the bone based weapon even deeper, relishing in the squelching noise it made as his blood splattered over her.

Maggie had disabled her own guy with a puncture wound through the throat, killing him in seconds, both women snatching up the guns of their victims.

Turning, they found Merle with Glenn in his clutches, and their guns were on him instantly. “Let him go!”

Merle smirked at Maggie’s shaky order, lifting his hands up, still pinning Glenn to the floor. “Okay!”

It was then that Rosalina heard a clicking of a gun behind her, spinning around to take out two men that rounded on them from around the corner. But three more surrounded them, guns pointed-she’d be shot before her finger even pulled the trigger. “Fuckers.”

“Put the guns down, girlies.” Merle ordered, and Rosalina was so very tempted to spin around and put a bullet through his skull. They’d shoot her instantly, but at least he’d be gone. That bastard would be gone.

But instead, she put her gun on the floor, raising her hands to her head. Maggie did the same. 

She was grabbed by the scruff of her neck, forced back into the room they had left moments before, pushed down onto her knees. Beside her, Glenn was forced down also, Maggie at his side.

Rosalina had been scared all her life. She’d felt fear like no one else. She’d been assaulted, attacked, mugged, screamed at, she’d dealt with it all. But she’d never felt fear like this.

Her legs shook as Glenn whispered words of comfort to the crying Maggie, reaching out to grab her hand. He turned to Rosalina, and grabbed her’s also, giving her a shaky smile. “Don’t look.”

“I’m sorry.” Rosalina breathed out, letting out a tearful sob when Merle covered Glenn’s head with a material bag, another man doing the same to Maggie. 

She held in a scream as her world was engulfed by black, beginning to sing quietly to herself as she was yanked to her feet. “The king and his men, stole the queen from her bed. And bound her in her bones. The seas be ours and by the powers, where we will, we’ll roam.”

“Shut up.” The guard driving her forwards shoved her, knocking her against the dusty floor. But Rosalina couldn’t stop. She didn’t wanted to sob in her final moments-she wanted to sing. Especially the most ironic song she could think of. It was just naturally in her nature to find irony, even in the end.

“Yo ho, all hands, hoist the colours high,” She was yanked upright again, rough hands leaving harsh red marks on her exposed skin. Her voice shook as hard as her body as a gun was jabbed at her back, but she didn’t pause. “Heave ho, thieves and beggars. Never shall we die.”

Suddenly, there was a loud explosion from her left, forcing Rosalina to the floor as her captor released her. Smoke filled the room, making her cough, but she was too busy throwing her head forward, knocking her blindfold to the floor.

Looking around in the chaos of smoke, she squinted, searching for any sign to give her an idea of what was going on. Suddenly, a strong hand wrapped around her arm.

“Lets go.” The familiar southern voice nearly made her knees buckle from underneath her.

“Thank the gods.” She sobbed, Daryl hurriedly pulling her to her feet, hurrying her away from the dazed men who were starting to get up. Rick and Oscar were helping Maggie and Glenn do the same. 

As they ran, Daryl kept his hand on elbow, waiting until they found a dark abandoned building to run into before he cut off her restraints. In seconds she was in his arms, a vice like grip around his neck, clinging to him like he was the only thing keeping her upright. “Are you alright?”

“Thank you,” She ignored his question, her words spewing out quickly. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I thought we were going to die. I thought he was-”

“You’re not,” Daryl cut her off, holding her tight with an arm around her waist, the other still holding his crossbow, pressing his mouth against the top of her hair. “I’m gonna get you out of here.”

Shaking, Rosalina pulled back, wrapping her arms around herself. Seeing the damage on her exposed torso, Daryl let out a furious growl. Wordlessly, he removed his leather jacket, yanking his own tank top off, pulling it down over Rosalina’s head. It was hilariously too big for her, but she pulled the material close to her, using it almost like a comfort blanket. “Thank you.”

“Stop saying that,” Daryl ordered, and despite the situation, he couldn’t help but smirk when Rosalina’s eyes trailed over his body, widening as she stared at his tanned abs. “See something you like?”

Her gaze snapped back up to his face, and he expected a scathing retort, but instead she simply threw herself forward into his arms again. He held her without a word, fear clenching in his chest-what the hell had these bastards done to her?

“Rick, how did you find us?” Maggie asked, Glenn leaning against the wall on the floor. She knelt down beside him, checking over his injuries.

He ignored her, asking Glenn tensely. “How badly are you hurt?”

“I’ll be alright.” Glenn assured him, Rick darting back and forth across the room, looking for any signs of an exit. Oscar was doing the same, while Daryl simply stood holding Rosalina.

Breathing heavy, head buried into his shoulder, Rosalina murmured. “Daryl, Merle did this. He’s here. Alive.”

Rosalina felt his muscles tense against her, pulling back sharply with his brow furrowed. “You saw him?”

“We all did,” Glenn called over, gaining his attention. “He threw a walker at me.”

“Does he know I’m with you?” Daryl had fully stepped away from Rosalina now, and she hugged her arms to her tightly, exhaustion hitting her body hard. She wanted to go home.

Although, admittedly, she wasn’t sure where home was anymore. 

“He does now,” Glenn nodded, looking apologetically to Rick. “Rick, I’m sorry. We told him where the prison was. We couldn’t hold out.”

Immediately, Rick crossed the room towards him, kneeling down. “No. You have no need to apologise.”

He darted back across the room, looking outside through the window. “We have to get back. Can you walk? We’ve got a car a few miles out.”

Glenn nodded determinedly, and together Rick and Maggie lifted him to his feet. But Daryl wasn’t ready to leave. “Hey, if Merle’s alive, I’ve gotta see him!”

“Not now,” Rick denied. ‘We’re in hostile territory.”

“He’s my brother, I ain’t gonna-” Rick cut Daryl off, gesturing to Glenn, Maggie and Rosalina. All three were still shaking heavily, bruised and beaten in a way that was unusual for even the group’s standards. 

“Look what he did! Look what he’s done to Rose!” The woman in question held herself tighter, and Daryl’s face dipped with concern. “Look, we gotta get out of here now.”

Rosalina watched as Daryl moved to argue, struck by how strangely young he looked. The years stripped away, and she was reminded of nothing more than a young teenager. Is this the effect Merle had on his brother? “Maybe I can talk to him and work something out!”

Rick shook his head. “No, no, no, no. You’re not thinking straight. Look, no matter what they say, they’re hurt. And they’re scared. Glenn can barely walk and Rose is shaking like a leaf. How are we gonna make it out if we get overrun by walkers or this governor catches up to us? I need you!”

But Daryl still looked wary. Rick leaned in close. “Rose needs you. Come on, Daryl. Are you with me?”

Rosalina was listening closely, no matter how quietly Rick spoke. As she waited to hear Daryl’s response, her hands clenched into fists. “Yeah. I’m with you.”

Clapping him on the back, Rick breathed a sigh of relief in perfect synchronisation with Rosalina. “Then lets go.”

They started towards the door, Rosalina close to Daryl’s side as he leaned outside, throwing a flare canister out, followed by another. The street filled with steam. “Lets go.”

Removing a gun from his holster, Daryl thrust it towards Rosalina, who grabbed it eagerly. While the others ran out they paused for a moment, Daryl meeting her eyes. “You ready?”

“I need to get the fuck out of here,” She nodded, her jaw tight. She didn’t plan to spend another minute trapped inside these walls with those men walking around. “Now.”

“Then lets go.”

Together, they ran out to join the others, immediately met with a bombardment of bullets. Firing as they ran, they rushed to the wall, taking down five men between them. “Rick!”

Managing to spot them through the smoke, Rick ordered them towards a corner, the group rushing to take cover in the doorway of a shop, briefly protected from the bullets. “Rick, we can’t take all of them on, they’re just gonna keep coming.”

Rosalina’s words rang true. Rick through his bag to the floor, Daryl quickly delving through it. “Get the grenades ready. We gotta gun it to the wall.”

“You guys go ahead, and we’ll lay down some cover fire.” Daryl ordered Glenn and Maggie, already knowing Rosalina wouldn't leave without him.

He hadn't been expecting Maggie to argue so fiercely, however. “No, we gotta stay together!”

“Fine, you guys go together, I’ll stay. It’s too hairy to stay as a big group.” Daryl decided. 

“Fuck off,” Rosalina denied immediately, to nobody’s surprise. “I’m staying with you.”

“You’re hurt, nervous and shaky. You’ll get us both killed,” He argued, reusing to look at her as he grabbed two grenades, one in each hand. “Just go.”

Her hand shot out, grabbing his wrist in a steely grip, forcing him to meet her gaze. Her green eyes held a steely resolve that not even the stubborn Daryl could fight. “Those sons of bitches ridiculed me, beat me, and made me feel like shit. So I plan to kill as many of them as I possibly fucking can. Stop arguing with me.”

He stared up at her, finally taking his head, pulling his wrist from her grip. “Alright, stay. But we’ve got to move now.”

“Fine,” Standing beside him when he straightened up, Rosalina took one of the grenades, ready to light it up herself. “Run!”

Running out into the aim of fire, Rosalina tossed the grenade to the ground, diving down behind a park bench as smoke filled the air once again. An onslaught of bullets followed her actions, and within seconds, Daryl joined her behind the bench.

“You’re crazy, you know that right?” He asked as she darted up, firing at the men before ducking back down. “Like, full on bat-shit crazy.”

“Thanks, I’m training for the role of Harley Quinn in the next prison theatre production,” She replied with the sass she’d been missing since he rescued her. But, there was a hidden edge to her tone, something not quite fitting the words she spoke with the glint in her eyes. “I’m getting pretty good at this shooting shit.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, princess.” He teased, pretending not to notice the small details that worried him, taking a perfect shot through the smoke at an advancing man. 

“Well, I can think of several things that might, but lets focus on staying alive for now,” She said over the gunfire, grinning at the wide eyed look of surprise he shot her at her boldness. “You totally missed me, Hakweye.”

“I never said that I didn’t.”

But their moment was interrupted by the clearing of the smoke in the air, and an unfortunate realisation on Rosalina’s part. “Daryl, I’m running out of ammo.”

Daryl’s face was hard as he continued to shoot. “Run for the bus, follow the others, get out. I’ll cover you.”

“I feel like we’ve had this conversation before-I’m not leaving you.” She insisted, dropping her gun to the floor as she finally ran out of bullets. Left unarmed, her previous nervousness began to reappear in bounds,  

“Rose, just go! I’ll be right behind you,” He promised, ditching his gun for his crossbow. But he only had three arrows left, and there were too many left to fight off. “Rose, go!”

Realisation hit Rosalina like a tonne of bricks, a pit opening up in her stomach that made her feel wholeheartedly ill. “You weren’t planning on leaving. You’re waiting for Merle.”

He glanced at her, and shame crept into his hard expression at the fear shinning in Rosalina’s usually humoured green eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Her lip curled, feeling the panic clawing at her insides the same way it had before Daryl had shown up like her knight in shining leather armour. “You should be, jackass. Because of you, we’re both dead.”

“We know you’re out of bullets, come out with your hands up!”

Rosalina shook her head, clenching her fists, eyes shut tight. “You’ve killed us both.”

With a bravery that had to be admired, she forced herself to open her eyes. She stood up, hands on her head, a sarcastic smile on her face as she yelled out. “I’ve had such fun here already, I simply don’t want to leave!”

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End file.
